50 Members of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation to Participate in Financial Education Program and Tennis Clinic At the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center
Washington, D.C., July 29, 2014 – Citi, title sponsor of the 2014 Citi Open® Tournament, will host a fun-filled Citi Kids program in collaboration with the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF) at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on Tuesday, July 29th at 9:30 AM. The event will feature the World Ranked No. 11 ATP Star of Japan. Kei Nishikori will be joined by 50 youth from the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), a premier educational and tennis organization for underserved children in Washington, D.C.
Developed by Citi, Citi Kids is an educational and motivational community-based initiative for students located in the Washington, D.C. area. Citi Kids reinforces Citi’s commitment to make a positive impact in the communities it serves and aims to provide cultural, social, athletic and economic enrichment for the members of the WTEF. As the tournament’s benefactor, the WTEF is instrumental in identifying ways to ensure the continual athletic and educational success of its members, and Citi strives to aid to these efforts throughout the year.
Kei Nishikori is the only Japanese tennis player to be ranked inside the top 10 in ATP Singles Rankings. To date, Nishikori has won give singles titles and reached the quarter-finals of the 2012 Australian Open. This year, Nishikori made it to the final of the Madrid Open, his first masters-level championship final, and the fourth round of Wimbledon.
Citi Kids will begin with a program promoting the importance of financial literacy and saving for the future. Kei Nishikori will share his experiences on Tour, and offer advice on staying focused while pursuing both academic and athletic success. The Citi Kids program will conclude with a one-hour tennis clinic for all program participants with Kei Nishikori.
“Citi is committed to making a difference in the communities in which we do business, and programs like Citi Kids provide a meaningful and unforgettable experience for children all over Washington D.C,” said Candi Wolff, head of Global Government Affairs for Citi and a board member of WTEF. “Similarly to our mission of supporting clients in their journeys from ambition to achievement, Citi is focused on creating programs that help empower and enable underserved D.C. students to achieve their highest potential.”
The Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF) was founded in 1955 as an organization designed to help disadvantaged youth through tennis. Since then, it has evolved into an organization that provides academic help to at-risk children, by helping them to apply the lessons learned on the tennis court in the classroom and beyond. Today, WTEF is a leader in the best practice of providing academic enrichment, supplemented by tennis and life skills instruction, as a means for developing the skills necessary to achieve academic and personal success.
“The Citi Kids program is a wonderful opportunity for the children involved with the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation to learn about the importance of financial education and hear from professional athletes the importance of perseverance, resilience, and optimism, both on and off the court.” said Eleni Rossides, Executive Director, Washington Tennis & Education Foundation. “Our kids are tomorrow’s leaders, and it is fantastic that Citi is investing in their futures as part of a solid commitment to the Washington, DC area.”
This year’s Citi Open Tournament will be held from July 26th to August 3rd at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D.C. It is one of only 11 elite ATP World Tour 500-level events worldwide and the only one held in the United States. The event is also part of the prestigious Emirates Airline US Open Series, the five-week summer tennis season that links nine North American hard-court tournaments to the final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open. In addition, the Citi Open features a WTA International Tournament which provides fans the opportunity to watch simultaneous competitions of both world-class men’s and women’s tennis throughout the nine-day event. The tournament features 48 men’s singles players and 16 doubles teams, 32 women’s singles players and 16 doubles teams, and offers nearly $2 million in player compensation.
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