Other Charleston surprises in store?
2025 has been season of firsts on the WTA Tour. Madison Keys won her first major. Mirra Andreeva and Amanda Anisimova won their first 1000s. Ashlyn Krueger made her first 500 final and her first appearance in the Top 40. McCartney Kessler cracked the Top 50 for the first time. Will we see that trend continue in Charleston?
It’s a little harder to imagine than it was in, say, Doha and Dubai. This tournament is a 500, offers more than a million dollars in prize money, and gives players a head start on dirt—even if it is the green kind. Which means that, as always, it has a strong field. This year the draw includes seven players in the Top 16—Pegula, Keys, Zheng Qinwen, Emma Navarro, Daria Kasatkina, Diana Shnaider, and Anisimova, as well as Collins, the defending champion.
Collins, Keys, Kasatkina, and Belinda Bencic have won the title here before. Navarro, who grew up in the area and whose father owns the tournament, would seem to be a likely contender. Anisimova likes clay, and has a decent draw into the round of 16.
Potential third-round matchups to watch:
- Collins vs. Ostapenko
- Navarro vs. Krueger
- Bencic vs. Kasatkina
- Zheng vs. Elise Mertens
- Keys vs. Anna Kalinskaya
