Friday`s quarterfinal matches ensured that three American players would compete in Saturday`s semifinals.
Amanda Anisimova emerged victorious against local favorite Emma Navarro, securing a 7-5, 7-6 (1) win at the Credit One Charleston Open. Anisimova won the tiebreak decisively.
The last instance of three American semifinalists at this tournament dates back to 2003. That year, Justine Henin defeated Serena Williams in the Family Circle Cup final, concluding Williams` impressive 21-0 start to the season.
This year, the question remains: Will an American player seize the title, or will Ekaterina Alexandrova disrupt their dominance and claim the championship?
No. 1 Jessica Pegula vs. No. 9 Ekaterina Alexandrova (1 p.m. ET)
Pegula`s Strengths: Pegula is arguably the most in-form player remaining in the tournament.
The American player, aged 31, demonstrated resilience on Friday by defeating the defending champion Danielle Collins 1-6, 6-3, 6-0. She won the final nine games of that match. Her current momentum mirrors Collins` title-winning streaks in Miami and Charleston last year.
Pegula reached the final in Miami, where she was defeated by World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. In Charleston, she has won her first three matches, extending her strong run to eight wins in her last nine matches. This equals her best Charleston result, and she is eager to advance further after previous near misses.
Pegula, currently ranked No. 4 in the PIF WTA rankings, is playing her signature style of tennis, characterized by flat, fast shots and excellent movement. However, she will need to elevate her game against Alexandrova, who has won their last two encounters.
Notably, Pegula`s only victory over Alexandrova occurred on clay four years ago in Rome.
Pegula Completes Comeback Against Collins in Charleston Quarters
“Alexandrova has defeated many top players,” Pegula acknowledged. “But I am hoping that clay courts will change the dynamic. My last win against her was on clay, so I hope to leverage that to my advantage.”
Pegula`s strong form is evident in her 23 match wins this year, the most on tour.
Alexandrova`s Strengths: A deeper analysis reveals a key statistic: Pegula has won eight of her last ten quarterfinal matches. Alexandrova was the victor in the other two, recently in Doha and previously in Miami last year.
This suggests a favorable matchup for Alexandrova against Pegula. She has seemingly found a successful strategy against her. In both of those quarterfinal wins, Alexandrova recovered from losing the first set to win decisively, including a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory in Doha.
“Pegula is consistently strong in all aspects of her game, serve, return, every shot,” Alexandrova commented. “She presents no easy opportunities, requiring you to earn every point. You need to be ready for a point-by-point battle because nothing comes easily against her.”
Alexandrova is known for her streaks. Earlier this year, she achieved an eight-match winning streak, winning the Linz 500 title and reaching the Doha semifinals. Entering Charleston after four consecutive losses, she has now secured three straight wins. To reach the semifinals, she defeated No. 6 Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1 and No. 3 Zheng Qinwen 6-1, 6-4, ending Zheng`s 13-match winning streak on clay.
At 30, Alexandrova is aiming for a personal milestone. Despite a “love-hate relationship” with clay, she is in a strong position in Charleston. She has reached two clay-court semifinals before (including Charleston in 2022) but has yet to reach a final. This could be her opportunity.
No. 8 Amanda Anisimova vs. Sofia Kenin (to follow)
Anisimova`s Strengths: Anisimova displayed remarkable resilience against Navarro, overcoming strong home crowd support.
Navarro was serving for the second set at 5-3 and led 30-0 when Anisimova shifted gears. Effective returns, a tactic she will need against Kenin, helped Anisimova force a decisive tiebreak. This was crucial, as Navarro has played a high number of three-set matches this season (39 since the start of 2024) with a strong record (27-11).
They have played twice before, but those were in ITF tournaments eight years ago, making direct comparisons less relevant. Anisimova did win their only clay court match in Dothan, Alabama.
“That match was a long time ago,” Anisimova said in her post-match interview. “She was a player I didn’t want to face even back then. It’s been quite a while. I’m playing another American next, so hopefully the crowd support will be great again. I hope it will be a good match.”
This semifinal appearance equals Anisimova`s best Charleston result and marks her best performance in a WTA 500 event. Anisimova should be confident, having already won 13 matches in 2025, including her first WTA 1000 title in Doha a few months ago.
Kenin`s Strengths: Kenin`s Charleston history is not strong (2-6 in main draw matches), but this year she has accumulated four impressive victories.
Kenin, the only unseeded player remaining, has won all her matches in straight sets, defeating seeded players Belinda Bencic, Daria Kasatkina, and Anna Kalinskaya in her previous three matches. Against Kalinskaya, Kenin`s serve was effective, winning 26 of 32 first-serve points (81%) and being broken only once.
“Amanda is a very consistent, flat ball striker,” Kenin observed. “She has added variety to her game, with drop shots and approaches to the net. It will likely be a match decided by who hits better on the day because we both prefer a flat style of play and dislike extended rallies and sliding.”
“But I’m looking forward to it. An American will be in the final, and I’m hoping it’s me.”
The only other time Kenin reached a clay-court semifinal was five years ago, when she reached the Roland Garros final after winning the Australian Open title.
“I’ve been playing excellent tennis this year, especially this week,” Kenin stated. “I see this as a great opportunity and am very pleased with my level. Only positive things, let`s see what tomorrow brings.”
