Previewing the Credit One Charleston Open

photo by Diane Elayne Dees

 

Six former champions--Caroline Wozniacki (2011), Sloane Stephens (2016), Daria Kasatkina (2017), Madison Keys (2019), Veronika Kudermetova (2021), and Ons Jabeur (2023)--will compete in the 2024 Credit One Charleston Open. The top seed is Jessica Pegula, followed by Jabeur, Maria Sakkari, Kasatkina, and wild card Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Unfortunately, 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova had to withdraw from the field.

And of note: Ekaterina Makarova, who retired from professional tennis in 2020, is back, and will be competing in the qualifying rounds on March 30 and 31. Makarova is a former world number 8 in singles and world number 1 in doubles.

You can see the entire player field (minus qualifiers) here.

Some of the hottest competitors on the tour right now--including Danielle Collins (who, tomorrow, will contend for the Miami title), Emma Navarro, Anna Kalinskaya, Anhelina Kalinina, Dayana Yastremska, and Taylor Townsend--will be in Charleston. Paula Badosa will continue her comeback from injury at the Charleston Open, and Amanda Anisimova will make her return to the courts.

The Credit One Charleston Open, with its state-of-the-art Credit One Stadium, is the largest women's-only tournament in North America, and attracts 90,000 fans annually. The event is also the only women's clay court tournament in North America.

photo by Diane Elayne Dees

Last year, for the first time in the tournament's history, the previous year's finalists once again were the last two standing. In 2022, Belinda Bencic won the event, and Ons Jabeur was the runner-up. In 2024, they switched roles, with Jabeur prevailing as the champion.

The top doubles seeds in 2024 are Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Ellen Perez, followed by second seeds Caroline Dolehide and Desirae Krawczyk and third seeds Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi.

The Charleston Open is played on green clay, which generally plays a bit faster than red clay. It is also the home of the Althea Gibson Club Court, which is a favorite among both players and fans. The event was played in Hilton Head for 28 years, then moved to Daniel Island in 2001. It was the Family Circle Cup for many years, then the Volvo Car Open, and the title sponsor is now Credit One Bank.

The initial Charleston tournament was played in 1973, and it was the first women's tournament to be broadcast on network television.