The Washington DC Open is the next premier competition on the WTA Tour, as one of the WTA 500 ranking events.

It is one of the first hard-court events heading into the final part of the season, with some of the top players likely to use it to prepare for the upcoming US Open in New York.

The Washington DC Open will take place between July 27 and August 2, 2026m at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park.

Quick Picks

Our pick: Pegula to win

Value bet: Svitolina to win

Long shot: Fernandez to win

Betting Preview

Several top players have been listed as participants, although confirmation can change in the days leading up to the tournament. Currently, the entry list features the likes of defending champion Leylah Fernandez, who defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2, in the final to claim her 4th WTA title.

Jessica Pegula – a two-time winner of this event in 2019 and 2021 – Venus Williams and Zheng Qinwen have all been handed wild card entries.

Pegula will be the highest-ranked WTA Tour player in the tournament, joining Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, Jasmine Paolini, Diana Shnaider, Anna Kalinskaya, Madison Keys, and Fernandez as seeded players.

Emma Navarro, Anastasia Potapova, Alex Eala, and Clara Tauson are among those who will also be participating, but will be unseeded in this year’s competition.

Marta Kostyuk and Iva Jovic have both withdrawn, while many big-hitters won’t be returning this year, including Elena Rybakina.

Betting Markets to Watch

Pegula is likely to be the favourite heading into the 2026 Washington DC Open, as she is a North American hard‑court specialist and two-time former champion of this event. She has been exceptional on hard courts over the last 52 weeks, going 37-14 (72.5%), winning in Dubai and reaching the latter stages of most tournaments she has featured in on this playing surface.

Svitolina is likely to be the main challenger for the title, as she is ultra-consistent on the hard court. She is the highest-ranked non-wild card entry, with a 40-14 record across all courts over the last 52 weeks. She is 36-10 this season, going 21-5 on hard courts. In her career on this surface, she has a 68.2% win record (358-167).

She was beaten by Pegula in the Dubai final in straight sets, and has failed to reach a final since on this playing surface, but did reach the semis at Indian Wells.

Our Prediction

We think Pegula is the most likely to win the Washington DC Open at this WTA 500 event.

Svitolina has good value to be a contender, but our long shot is Leylah Fernandez. The 23-year-old Canadian is historically strong in North America, enters as the champion, and is seeded. These factors could all work in her favour.