As we turn the page to clay season, Keys should remain a constant at the top of the women’s game. While the American just won her first major on a hard court, her 62.4% win percentage on clay is actually higher than that on hard courts—60.8%. Keys is just as dangerous as a returner, as she has all kinds of power. That goes up a notch on clay, with higher bounces giving her more time to unload. She also has a little more time to set her feet with her groundstrokes. On top of all of that, Keys was a semifinalist in Charleston in 2015, and she also won this event in 2019. Don’t be surprised if the American picks up her third title of 2025 in the Palmetto State.
Qinwen Zheng (+550): We haven’t seen the best of Zheng this season, but she looked a little better at the Miami Open than she did earlier in the year. She just ran into the same problem that Pegula did: Sabalenka. Well, with the Belarusian not in the field, Zheng should feel like there’s an opportunity for her to get back in the winner’s circle. And while most of Zheng’s WTA-level success has come on hard courts, she’s a very strong 34-13 on clay. She also won a gold medal at Roland Garros last summer, and her second straight title in Palermo. This could be the week Zheng needs to put herself together and get hot before the European clay swing.
