The Mubadala Citi DC Open unveils a star-studded field for its 2026 edition. The WTA 500 event, scheduled from July 27 to August 2 in Washington, will welcome six top-20 players for the opening of the North American hard-court swing.
Jessica Pegula, entering via wild card, is the top seed after her promising Wimbledon quarterfinal run. Elina Svitolina takes the second seed, followed by Naomi Osaka (3) and Jasmine Paolini (4). Diana Shnaider, Anna Kalinskaya, Madison Keys and defending champion Leylah Fernandez complete the top eight seeds.
The wild card selections add intrigue to the draw. Zheng Qinwen, the Olympic gold medallist, and Venus Williams, still competing at forty-six, are among the invitees. A fourth wild card remains to be announced.
The absences are significant. Elena Rybakina and Emma Raducanu have both withdrawn, depriving the tournament of two dangerous contenders. Rybakina continues to manage the physical issues that have hampered her season.
Leylah Fernandez returns to defend the title she won as an unseeded player last year. The twenty-three-year-old Canadian, seeded eighth this time, comes back to Washington with clear ambitions and a more comfortable position in the draw.
The tournament features a 28-player draw with four qualifying spots and four wild cards. The top four seeds receive first-round byes. The champion earns $252,000 and 470 WTA points, making Washington a strategically vital stop ahead of the Masters 1000 events in Montreal and Cincinnati. The draw ceremony is set for Friday, July 24.
