The Credit One Charleston Open draw is now available, marking the start of the Hologic WTA Tour`s clay-court season and the first WTA 500 event on this surface in 2024.
Nine of the world`s top 20 players will compete in Charleston, South Carolina, vying for the coveted title on its famous green clay courts.
The main tournament action starts on Monday, March 31st, with 16 seeded players receiving a bye in the first round.
Draw Highlights
First Quarter
World No. 4 Jessica Pegula is the top seed in the draw. Pegula has reached the Charleston semifinals in the past two years and is aiming for her first final appearance. After a first-round bye, she will play against either Heather Watson (wild card) or a qualifier.
Defending champion Danielle Collins is positioned at the opposite end of this quarter. To advance deep in the tournament again, she might face established Charleston players. If No. 7 seed Collins reaches the Round of 16, potential opponents include 2017 runner-up Jelena Ostapenko or 2022 champion Belinda Bencic.
Second Quarter
Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen leads this quarter, but the No. 3 seed faces an immediate challenge in her pursuit of clay success. Her first match will be in the second round against either former World No. 3 Maria Sakkari or rising Canadian player Marina Stakusic, aged 20.
No. 6 seed Diana Shnaider is located on the other side of this quarter and could potentially face No. 9 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the Round of 16. Alexandrova previously enjoyed an eight-match winning streak earlier this year.
Third Quarter
Charleston native Emma Navarro enters her hometown event with her highest seeding ever at No. 4. In the second round, she will compete against either fellow American Hailey Baptiste or Australian Olivia Gadecki.
Amanda Anisimova, the Doha WTA 1000 champion from earlier this year, is the No. 8 seed on the opposite side of this quarter. She may have a second-round match against 2021 champion Veronika Kudermetova, should Kudermetova defeat wild card Maria Mateas.
Fourth Quarter
Madison Keys and Daria Kasatkina, both of whom have achieved significant career milestones in Charleston, are positioned at opposite ends of the final quarter of the draw.
No. 2 seed Keys reached her first clay-court final in Charleston 10 years ago, in 2015, and later won the title in 2019. This marks her 11th appearance at the tournament, and her first as a Grand Slam champion after winning this year`s Australian Open and reaching a career-high ranking of No. 5.
No. 5 seed Kasatkina secured her first career title in Charleston in 2017, defeating Ostapenko in the final. This tournament will also be Kasatkina`s debut representing her new country, Australia.
Another Grand Slam champion, Sofia Kenin, is also in this quarter. The 2020 Australian Open champion will face fellow American Bernarda Pera in the first round.
