Two top American tennis players, Jessica Pegula and Ben Shelton, will be main draw wild cards in the Mubadala D.C. Open from July 27 to August 2.

Jessica Pegula is No. 4 on the women’s tour and Ben Shelton is No. 5 on the men’s tour. Both players have played in the tournament before, which is the only joint WTA-ATP 500-level event on the tennis calendar. This will be Pegula’s sixth appearance and Shelton’s fourth.

Shelton lost in the semifinals last year, and Pegula lost in the round of 16 against the eventual champion Leylah Fernandez, according to the Washington Post.

“We are thrilled to welcome back the top ranked male and female American players, Ben and Jess, to our already exceptional player field,” Mark Ein, the tournament chair, said in a statement. “They are two of the biggest stars in tennis and players that our fans in D.C. love to watch and support. 

The two are joined by an impressive wild card list, including Venus Williams, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Jack Draper and Kei Nishikori.

The William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park hosts the D.C. Open under venture capitalist Mark Ein's leadership. The D.C. Council recently budgeted $9.6 million to improve the facility so it can continue hosting the tournament.

Wimbledon continues to unfold this week, but Pegula lost to Coco Gauff in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. Shelton fell to Otto Virtanen in the first round. However, the Pegula and Shelton have historically had success in D.C.

Shelton played an intense match in D.C. against Maryland native Frances Tiafoe in 2023, coming out with a 7-6(2), 6-4 victory. Tiafoe is set to play at Rock Creek Park this year, and the two could meet for a rematch. Shelton said he is excited about the tournament.

“I always enjoy coming back to DC. The fans bring a ton of energy, and it’s a place where I’ve played some really good tennis the last couple of years,” Shelton said.

Pegula said she is also looking forward to being back; acknowledging the people who put the tournament on.

“I know so many of the volunteers and the people that work this tournament, from the security to the transport, that have seen me and helped me over the last six years,” Pegula said. “So it’s been really cool, and I still have that same kind of feeling every time I come back here. That’s why I always feel like I can play good tennis here and have some good results.”