Prepare for the clay season! The Hologic WTA Tour`s clay swing begins next week with the Credit One Charleston Open, a WTA 500 tournament held on Charleston`s renowned green clay courts.
Celebrating its 53rd year, this tournament began in 1973 on Hilton Head Island and is the oldest professional women`s tennis tournament in the United States. It has also been recognized as the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year for the last three years.
The main draw action kicks off on Monday, March 31st, featuring 48 singles players—including half of the Top 20—and 16 doubles teams, all competing for a prize pool exceeding one million dollars. The singles and doubles champions will be crowned on Sunday, April 6th.
As the Road to Roland Garros starts in South Carolina, here are the essential details:
- Main-Draw Start Date: Monday, March 31
- Singles Final: Sunday, April 6, not before 2:30 p.m.
- Doubles Final: Sunday, April 6 at 12 p.m.
- Qualifying Dates: Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30
- Main-Draw Ceremony: Saturday, March 29 at 3 p.m.
- Singles Main-Draw Size: 48 players (including 6 qualifiers and 4 wild cards)
- Doubles Main-Draw Size: 16 teams
- Time Zone: Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -4)
- Tournament Ball: Dunlop Grand Prix Regular Duty
Key Storylines to Follow:
- Danielle Collins`s Return: The defending champion, Danielle Collins, will be back. Last year, she secured her first WTA 500 title here, a week after winning her first WTA 1000 title in Miami. This Charleston victory was part of her 15-match winning streak that propelled her back into the Top 10.
- Madison Keys`s Participation: Madison Keys, a self-proclaimed Charleston enthusiast, will compete as a recent Grand Slam champion and at a career-high ranking of No. 5. Keys was a finalist in 2015 and won the Charleston title in 2019.
- Jessica Pegula as Top Seed: American Jessica Pegula, currently ranked No. 4 globally, is the top seed. She aims to reach her first Charleston final, having been stopped in the semifinals for the past two years.
- Emma Navarro`s Home Tournament: Emma Navarro, a Charleston native, will play in her hometown event as a Top 10 player, following her recent Grand Slam quarterfinal and semifinal appearances. She made her WTA main-draw debut at Charleston in 2019.
- Former Champions in the Mix: Past Charleston champions including Daria Kasatkina (2017), Veronika Kudermetova (2021), and Belinda Bencic (2022) are also on the entry list. Bencic, in particular, is making a strong comeback after maternity leave, already winning a title in Abu Dhabi and returning to the Top 50.
Charleston Open Ranking Points and Prize Money:
- First round: 1 point | $6,400
- Second round: 32 points | $7,975
- Round of 16: 60 points | $12,900
- Quarterfinals: 108 points | $25,550
- Semifinals: 195 points | $51,085
- Finalist: 325 points | $101,000
- Champion: 500 points | $164,000
Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament approaches!
