I know what it means to miss--Charleston

Patty Schnyder in 2005 (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

The first time I attended the Charleston Open, which was the Family Circle Cup back then, was in 2005. I went for the latter half of the tournament, and on a very chilly morning, I saw my first match, in which Patty Schnyder played Klara Koukalova. It was so cold that the players kept their warmup clothes on throughout the match. I was a Schnyder fan, so this third round match was perfect for me, especially since Schnyder won it.

I stayed in Summerville that year, and--for several years after that--I stayed in Mount Pleasant. You can watch the tournament on television, but you can't really experience the vibe that is the Charleston Open unless you're there. With the exception of 2020, when the event was canceled, and 2021, when a few of us covered the tournament (plus an extra WTA 250 tournament) virtually, I attended every year. Until this year. I tried to make it work, but this year, I was unable to go, so I'm watching it on TV, and it's rather emotional for me because I really want to be there.

(photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

The event, which used to be held in Hilton Head, has a long and rich history. The longest-running women's tournament in the U.S., it's also the only green clay tournament. The palm and palmetto trees of Daniel Island give the Charleston Open a different look from other tennis events, and the green of the trees--along with the green of the court surfaces--adds to the beauty of the venue. The players love it: For the last three years, they've voted it the best 500 tournament on the tour. That's because the atmosphere is very relaxing, the grounds are beautiful, and the players are given the kind of  personalized, special treatment that makes them want to return.

(photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

Before the already-attractive tournament site got a beautiful re-do with significant upgrades, the media worked in a building known as the "media tent," which shook during thunderstorms. Once, while Jelena Jankovic (who--though not quite as big a Charleston rock star as Schnyder became--was nevertheless a huge crowd favorite) was in the stadium playing a night match, the building shook so hard that a couple of us--remembering the famous 2011 New Haven earthquake incident--simply looked at each other and said "Jankovic." 

The weather could be crazy--blazing hot in the daytime, and freezing at night. In 2007, a tornado hit the stadium, knocking down several items (though, many of us noted, not the Justine Henin banner--it wouldn't dare). And in 2017, a combination rain-hail storm forced us to evacuate the media tent--but only after we had each donned a garbage bag.

just hanging out behind the media tent (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)

I'm not a fan of exhibition matches, but I saw one, many years ago, in Charleston that was so funny I laughed about it for weeks. The two stand-out participants were Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta, who were hilarious. 

Charleston crowds tend to be different from other crowds. When Vera Zvonareva performed her famous racket break--surely the greatest such break in WTA history--other crowds would have booed her, but the people in the Charleston stands cheered her on. And when Yulia Putintseva started yelling in the middle of a match, the crowd yelled along with her. Charleston fans also love doubles, and the stands are always packed. And Charleston Open attendees are quick to support lesser known players.

I could go on and on, but really, you have to be there. As a member of the tennis media, I should point out that Charleston's media volunteers are the cream of the crop. Again, you have to be there to truly appreciate the vibe. I'll get through this, and I'll keep watching the tournament on television while the camera-toting half of Women Who Serve, my friend Daniel Ward, keeps me supplied with his wonderful photos. But I miss being there. I miss Charleston.

tournament grounds at night (photo by Diane Elayne Dees)