Thursday, June 4, 2026

The Prodigy versus The Magician--will it be Mirra or Maja who holds the Coupe Suzanne-Lenglen?

The "new" Marta Kostyuk---slayer of Iga Swiatek and all-around tennis badass--failed to make an appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier in Paris today. The wind was blowing in all directions, a factor which had hampered top seed Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals, and which appeared to complicate matters for Kostyuk. Kostyuk's serve, which had been one of her biggest advantages throughout the tournament, was inconsistent, at best. And it seemed obvious--at least to me--that the phrase, "under stress, we regress," applied to the Ukrainian star today. She repeatedly set up winning shots, only to fail to keep the ball inside the court, and her opponent's steadiness only increased her frustration.

That opponent was 19-year-old Mirra Andreeva, who--like Kostyuk--is no stranger to having a problem with her nerves, but today, she was in charge throughout the match. The first set, in fact, was a beat-down, with Kostyuk winning only one game. Andreeva then went up a break in the second set, but Kostyuk managed to get the set back on serve when she broke Andreeva--only to be broken back right away. 

And that was also the end of Kostyuk's brief momentum. The roof was closed during the second set, which should have been a significant benefit for Kostyuk, but that benefit went only so far; Andreeva defeated her 6-1, 6-3. Only a few weeks ago, Kostyuk had defeated Andreeva in the Madrid final, and she had also defeated her earlier this year, in Brisbane. The Ukrainian star's 17-match win streak on clay was broken today, but that doesn't make it any less remarkable.

The second semifinal featured Diana Shnaider--who upset world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the quarterfinals--and qualifier Maja Chwalinska, playing her ninth match of the tournament. I expected this match to be entertaining, and I wasn't disappointed. And for those who were waiting for the Polish player to finally be stunned by the occasion--well, that didn't happen. Chwalinska, still with both thighs wrapped, went about her business as though she were playing any match--not one that would determine whether she'd be in a major final.

As for Shnaider--as time went on, she looked a bit tired, but she continued to play a high-quality match with a lot of precision. Both players were seen by the physio, and Chwalinska did her best to shorten the rallies in the second half of the second set. And--as well as Shnaider played--in the end, she was a victim of a kind of Polish trickery that we've seen before (though I've yet to hear a commentator even mention it): Iga Swiatek may be Chwalinska's good friend, but Aga Radwanka's game runs through her veins.

Chwalinska--frequently retrieving the ball from the far corner of the court--dropped, lobbed and sliced it relentlessly. The job may have been easier for her if she had a good down-the-line (on at least one side), but she did the job her own way--and won in straight sets--against a player who has quite a bit of variety in her own game. Chwalinksa hit 32 winners and made 17 unforced errors, and her 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory gives her a place in some rare history. She's now only the second qualifier to reach a major final (Emma Raducanu did it in 2021 at the U.S. Open, and went on to win the title), and she's only the third woman to reach her first WTA-level final at a major, joining Raducanu and Venus Williams.

As I wrote about yesterday, it was just a few days ago that Chwalinska was worried about how she would pay for her hotel room. Now her ranking is projected to rise by 93 points, as she is expected to be number 21 in the world next week.  

In other news, top seeds and defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori won the mixed doubles title when they defeated Gaby Dabrowski and Evan King 4-6, 6-3, 10-4 in the final. This is the team's fourth major title. 

In wheelchair tennis, top seed Yui Kamiji won her quarterfinal match, as did 4th seed and former world number 1 Diede De Groot. However, De Groot and her partner, Aniek Van Koot lost their doubles semifinal to top seeds Kamiji and Zhu Zhenzhen.

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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Roland Garros quarterfinals--a story with twists, turns and carnage

One by one, they dropped:
5th seed and Charleston champion Jessica Pegula in the first round
former champion Alona Ostapenko in the second round
13trh seed and former runner-up Jasmine Paolini in the second round
2nd seed Elena Rybakina in the second round
4th seed and defending champion Coco Gauff in the third round
6th seed Amanda Anisimova in the third round
10th seed and former runner-up Karolina Muchova in the third round
3rd seed and four-time champion Iga Swiatek in the round of 16


And that brings us to the quarterfinals--but don't expect the plot to twist back to "normal"--it doesn't. 
The match that contained the most drama--before it even began--was the one played between countrywomen Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk. Both women have been on the same upward track, i.e., they have both significantly improved their games and put themselves in much better positions to win big matches (and Svitolina did it after giving birth to her daughter). And they have both had to bear the burden of dealing with the ongoing war in Ukraine, and all the political and rhetorical baggage that goes with that.

There was tension, but it was good tension. The match, unsurprisingly, went to three sets, and it was Swiatek-slayer Kostyuk who prevailed. In fact, in the third set, Kostyuk rose to a level that rendered her very worthy opponent close to helpless at times. The 15th seed, having won 17 straight matches on clay, is undefeated on the surface this season.

Mirra Andreeva ended the impressive run of Sorana Cirstea. This was Cirstea's final Roland-Garros match; she's retiring at the end of this season, which--so far--has proven to be an outstanding one for the 36-year-old Romanian. 


World number 1 and 2026 runner-up Aryna Sabalenka, seeking her first title in Paris, will have to wait another year. Diana Shnaider, the affable Russian in the headscarf, defeated Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 (and no, your eyes aren't deceiving you). Shnaider, in fact, was down a set and 1-4 when she dramatically turned the match around. Shnaider hit ten winners in the final set, and won 17 of the final 22 points of the match. She is now into her first major semifinal. 

And now it's time to circle back to Poland. Iga Swiatek may be gone, but she left a friend behind. Polish player Maja Chwalinska, who had to win three qualifying rounds to get into the main draw, advanced to the semifinals today when she upset 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya 7-6, 6-3. 

Chwalinska, who is ranked number 114 in the world, had already knocked out Olympic gold medal winner Zheng Qinwen, 23rd seed Elise Mertens, Maria Sakkari, and last-Frenchwoman-standing Diane Parry. 

A woman who, a few days ago, wasn't sure how she would pay for the unexpected extended stay at her hotel, is now in the final four of a major, and is only the second qualifier in the Open Era to reach the Roland-Garros semifinals. The 24-year-old Chwalinska took a break from tennis a few years ago in order to deal with ongoing depression, and she returned to the tour with a different attitude about competition, winning and losing. 

Chwalinksa has competed mostly in ITF and WTA 125 events; prior to her Roland-Garros run, she had won only three main draw WTA matches. The story of this tournament is about a Polish woman, yes, but maybe it's not about Swiatek. (And Chwalinska's tennis sometimes brings to mind that of another great Polish player--also not Swiatek.) 

Here is the semifinal draw:
Diana Shnaider (25) v. Maja Chwalinka 
Marta Kostyuk (15) v. Mirra Andreeva (8)

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Monday, June 1, 2026

Roland-Garros quarterfinal viewing may require more than popcorn

This year, the quarterfinals in Paris are especially intriguing. Two of the hottest players on the clay tour, countrywomen Elina Svitolina and Marta Kostyuk, will compete for a spot in the semifinals. Svitolina prevailed over Belinda Bencic in the round of 16 (and delivered a third set bagel), and Kostyuk--who has yet to lose a match on clay this season--has been the talk of the tournament because her round of 16 victim was four-time champion Iga Swiatek. 

I'm a long-time Kostyuk believer. I always thought that it was just a matter of time before the world number 15, who already had the necessary aggression in her game, would gain the mental control that she needed in order to increase the quality of her court strategy and stay calm in difficult moments. We're now seeing that Marta Kostyuk (coached by Sandra Zaniewska, who--not surprisingly--knew how to help her player reach more of her potential), and she's something to behold.

We're also seeing the "new" Svitolina, who is just as formidable. Long known for her movement, the Ukrainian star returned from her maternity leave with a much better serve and bigger hitting.  

As for Swiatek, she fell to Kostyuk rather easily, and--as many have pointed out--it wasn't that big a surprise. The Polish star and former number 1 in the world hasn't been herself lately, but--the last time the tennis world buzzed about Swiatek's not being herself, she won Wimbledon.

Another player who has been very much in form lately is Anastasia Potapova, who now plays for Austria.  However, Potapova was defeated in the round of 16 by former countrywoman Anna Kalinskaya. Kalinskaya, one of three Russians still in the draw, defeated Potapova 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7). The other Russians are 8th seed Mirra Andreeva, who defeated a resrugent Jil Teichmann in the round of 16, and Diana Shnaider, who defeated Madison Keys. 

And while Swiatek may be gone, Poland is nevertheless represented in the quarterfinals: Qualifier Maja Chwalinska knocked out Frenchwoman Diane Parry in the round of 16. 

World number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who trying to earn her first Roland-Garros title, defeated Naomi Osaka in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals, and Sorana Cirstea--doing the farewell tour of a lifetime--reached the quarterfinals by defeating Wang Xiyu.

Here is the quarterfinal draw:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) v. Diana Shnaider (25) 
Anna Kalinskaya (22) v. Maja Chwalinska (Q)
Elina Svitolina (7) v. Marta Kostyuk (15)
Mirra Andreeva (8) v. Sorana Cirstea (18)

Meanwhile, in doubles, top seeds Katerina Siniakova and Taylor  Townsend have advanced to the quarterfinals, as have number 2  seeds Anna Dalinina and Alexandra Krunic.

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Saturday, May 30, 2026

Russians dominate Roland-Garros round of 16, and there are also some surprises

When we were sorting through Polish players likely to advance to the round of 16 at Roland-Garros, I doubt that many (or any) of us picked Maja Chwalinska, but the world number 114, a qualifier in Paris, has made it to the final sixteen. Not only that, she did it by taking out Olympic gold medal winner Zheng Qinwen, 23rd seed Elise Mertens, and Maria Sakkari. Prior to this week, Chwalinska had never made it past the second round of a major.

Of special interest is that Chwalinska's opponent in the round of 16 will be Frenchwoman Diane Parry; Parry upset 6th seed Amanda Anisimova in the third round.

Of course, Chwalinska will be joined by countrywoman Iga Swiatek, who has won Roland-Garros four times. Swiatek is seeded third at this tournament, and her round of 16 opponent will be Madrid champion Marta Kostyuk, who appears to have finally come into her own, and who should be a formidable opponent for the former world number 1. 

The big news today as that defending champion Coco Gauff fell to Anastasia Potapova, who defeated her 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 in a long and thrilling match. Potapova no longer plays for Russia, but three Russians have made it to the last sixteen: Diana Shnaider, Anna Kalinskaya and Mirra Andreeva. 

Here is the round of 16 draw:

Aryna Sabalenka (1) v. Naomi Osaka (16)
Madison Keys (19) v. Diana Shnaider (25)
Anastasia Potapova (19) v. Anna Kalinskaya (22)
Maja Chwalinska v. Diane Parry
Elina Svitolina (7) v. Belinda Bencic (11)
Marta Kostyuk (15) v. Iga Swiatek (3)
Mirra Andreeva (8) v. Jil Teichmann
Sorana Cirstea (18) v. Wang Xiyu

In addition to Madrid champion Kostyuk, there are two other pre-Roland-Garros clay court winners: Svitolina won Rome, and Andreeva won Linz. Madrid and Rome are WTA 1000 events, Linz is a WTA 500 event. And Cirstea, of course, having announced her retirement, is on a roll that could take her anywhere. 

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Saturday, May 23, 2026

Predicting the French Open champion--not a good idea

During the 2026 clay season, we’ve had four 500-level tournaments and two 1000-level tournaments, which means that we’ve had six champions—and none of them is named Swiatek or Sabalenka. And while winning a pre-French Open clay court tournament—even a 1000—doesn’t always translate to winning the French Open, we would have been within our rights to think that the above mentioned players would each have won one. Or that at least one of them would have won one. 

Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek has been off her game for a while, though, in Rome, we saw a lot of that Iga—the one who came charging in in 2020 and won the title without dropping a set. Swiatek would go on to win the tournament in 2022, 2023 and 2024. 

The Polish star has yet to win a title of any kind in 2026, but a recent coaching change, whose results were manifested in Rome, shows much promise. When asked, in a press conference in Rome, whether we can now say that she’s “coming back,” Swiatek replied, “Where was I?” Exactly.

As for world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka, her story is a bit different. She had to withdraw from Stuttgart because of an injury, so she began her clay season in Madrid, where she reached the quarterfinals. She was defeated in that round by Hailey Baptiste, despite having held six match points. In Rome, Sabalenka was up a set and a break in the third round, but lost to a resurgent Sorana Cirstea (it was, in fact, the Romanian’s first defeat of a number 1 player).

Sabalenka has won four hard court majors, and last year, she came close to adding a very big clay court title—she reached the final of the French Open, but lost to Coco Gauff. 

In the four 500 tournaments of 2026, we’ve had four champions. Jessica Pegula, the defending champion in Charleston, won the title again. She did it the hard way, and earned the nickname, Three-Set Jess. Mirra Andreeva won the Linz title, Elena Rybakina won in Stuttgart (her second title there), and Emma Navarro--who has been dealing with a chronic illness for a year and a half--upset top seed Vicky Mboko in the Strasbourg final. 

The drama in both Madrid and Rome was increased because of the standings of the champions. Marta Kostyuk won the Madrid title. Kostyuk—who had just won a 250-level tournament in France—had a tough draw, which included Pegula, Linda Noskova and Anastasia Potapova. In the past, the very talented Ukrainian player might have lost her way, but the Marta Kostyuk of today is calmer on court, and more able to make smart shot decisions. 

The winner in Rome was Elina Svitolina, and this was her third Rome title. Svitolina last won Rome in 2018, and so much has changed in her life since then. Always a talented player, whose  movement was considered her greatest asset, Svitolina’s tennis career was interrupted by marriage, childbirth, and an ongoing war. Upon returning to the tour after her maternity leave, the Ukrainian star was a different player, with a better serve, more variety, and bigger hitting. This year in Rome, she did what few could do: She defeated Rybakina in the quarterfinals, Swiatek in the semifinals, and Gauff in the final.

So who is the most likely to win at Roland Garros? Anyone’s guess is good at this point. Sadly, 2021 champion Barbora Krejcikova sustained another injury last week while playing in the final of a 125 event. Krejcikova  is now a victim of the Czech Curse, which has already put both Karolina Muchova (who is currently healthy) and Marketa Vondrousova out of commission for months at a time. Muchova, a French Open finalist in 2023, doesn’t have the momentum that we would expect a contender to have, but she could nevertheless make things difficult for other top players in Paris.

Coco Gauff is the defending champion in Paris, and—while her results lately have been inconsistent—Gauff is capable of showing up in her best form. Whatever wobbles she has, she also tends to have a champion’s mind when she plays in big events. 

Elena Rybakina has won a major on a hard court and a major on grass, and there’s no reason—given the strength of her game—that she can’t win one on clay. Rybakina’s serve makes her dangerous on any surface, and her steadiness on court has returned. 

Mirra Andreeva—-though she is sometimes distracted by her own emotions—is no stranger to a big stage. In addition to reaching the French Open semifinals in 2024, the Russian star has also won two 1000-level tournaments. 

As for Kostyuk—the success she’s having has been a long time coming. Between improving her game and settling her mentality, the Ukrainian star has established herself as someone whom no one will want to see on the other side of the net at Roland Garros.

And that brings me to Svitolina, who can now be considered a complete player, and one who is—in my opinion—a real contender in Paris. Her performance in Rome was a feat that few could have pulled off, and there’s no reason to think that the clay in Paris will intimidate her.

Swiatek is likely to have her work cut out for her, for—if things go as they “should” go—she’ll face Alona Ostapenko in the third round. Ostapenko is 6-0 against Swiatek, and—more than any other player on the tour—has figured out how to flummox the former world number 1 and four-time French Open champion. Ostapenko’s formula is a simple one: Don’t give Swiatek any time to set up her shots. One would think that—by now—Swiatek would have a strategy to counter Ostapenko’s speed and aggression. We’ll see.

Sabalenka and Gauff are both in the upper half of the draw, while Rybakina and Swiatek (along with Svitolina and Kostyuk) are in the bottom half. Every major draw is very competitive, but—since there is no clear favorite in Paris this year—the draw seems especially competitive. 

We won’t have to wait for the competition to heat, though. 17th seed Iva Jovic and Alex Eala meet in the first round, which feels unfair, but it’s just the (bad) luck of the draw. Also of interest in the first round: 2025 semifinalist Lois Boisson—who has had her share of injury woes—will face 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya, and 2021 champion Krejcikova will play 26th seed Hailey Baptiste. 

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Saturday, May 2, 2026

Deep into clay seaon, more questions than answers

Charleston, Linz, Stuttgart, and Madrid are already in the past, as well as a few 250 clay tournaments. The 500 champions are Jessica Pegula (Charleston), Mirra Andreeva (Linz) and Elena Rybakina (Stuttgart). And now we have our first 1000 champion--Marta Kostyuk. Coming up are one more 1000-level event, the Italian Open, and one more 500-level event, in Strasbourg.

Missing--so far--among the winners are world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka and four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek. And the "surprise" (not to me, but more on that later) winner is Kostyuk, who defeated Andreeva in today's Madrid final.

Kostyuk has shown not only talent, but super athleticism, for some time. However, her inability to control her on-court mentality led to what had to be a very frustrating inconsistency. However, last month she won a 250-level clay court tournament in Rouen, France. And perhaps even more important--though she lost to Sabalenka in the Brisbane final--Kostyuk upset three top ten players: Amanda Anisimova, Mirra Andreeva and Jessica Pegula. 

The Ukrainian player explained recently that "...I've always wanted to change my overall perspective on tennis. For me it was always very, very emotional, and I would spend a lot of energy. Everything would matter so much to me. Whether it was wins or losses, it was very difficult to live in this constant emotional bombing from the inside."

Kostyuk credits psychotherapy for helping her change her mentality. "It's not an easy road. It's a very ugly road, I would say. But I always knew how I wanted to be on the court, how I didn't want to be on the court.”

Gone are the days when a "clay court specialist" was destined to win the French Open. Yes, clay court specialists may have an edge, but more and more tour players have become proficient on more than one surface. And with Swiatek not in her top form at the moment, the upcoming French Open feels less about the Polish star and more about mystery.

This is not to count Swiatek out. Last year, people were ready to count her out in a big way, and her response was to win Wimbledon. Iga Swiatek may be struggling, but she still understands clay, and she still has the mind--and the experience--of a champion. 

In 2022, Swiatek won Rome, then went on to win in Paris. In 2024, she won Madrid, then won another French Open title. But--even though they are both 1000 events--winning Rome and/or Madrid does not appear to make a player any more likely to win at Roland Garros. The Madrid conditions, in particular, are different, because of the altitude.  

Who else, besides the above-named players, has a reasonable chance to win in Paris? If 2021champion Barbora Krejckova were healthy, I'd give her a definite "yes," but she has fallen prey to the Czech injury/illness curse. However, her countrywoman, Karolina Muchova--who is currently enjoying good health--is certainly a candidate, as are defending champion Coco Gauff  and last year's runner-up, Sabalenka.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Venus Williams--wild card or fold?

Last week, a maintenance specialist was in my house. I had the television on and was watching Venus Williams playing in Madrid. He passed by, saw the screen, and asked, "Is that an old match?" I told him no, it was Madrid. He watched for a few moments, then said, "She's getting her butt handed to her." I explained to him that gets wild cards now, loses early—almost always in the first round (she won her first round in DC last year)—but keeps playing.

"Good for her!" he said, then went on to talk about how the Williams sisters had been through so much in their careers, and how they had changed professional tennis. 

This, of course, isn't everyone's view. On social media, a lot of people are saying that Williams should stop accepting wild cards so that "deserving" young players  can get them—or that she should enter qualifying rounds.  

But that isn't how it works. By its very nature, a wild card is a gift--you don't have to "deserve" it. Venus Williams is a big fan draw, so it makes sense that a tournament's officials would want her to play. If she continues losing in the first round, will she cease to be a fan draw? I think so, though I'm prepared to be wrong about that.

Several years ago, at a press conference, I began a question to Venus with "When you retire--assuming that you do...." Obviously, I was on to something; even then, I guess I knew that I needed to be careful how I used the "r" word when talking with her. 

Venus Williams will retire some day; everyone does. And while I understand that a lot of people think that the time has come for her to leave the sport (at least, in singles), the idea that she's "tarnishing her legend" is--in my opinion--quite a reach. 

(In fact, we could turn the whole thing around and observe the inner strength that it takes, at 45 years old, with several chronic health conditions, to continually get beaten in first rounds and still go out on the court and give it your best.)

Venus Williams has won seven singles majors, fourteen doubles majors, two mixed doubles majors, and an Olympic gold medal, and she has been ranked number 1 in the world in both singles and doubles. I think that her legend is intact. 

A lot of people tend to want athletes to “retire gracefully,” the way that they want those of us who are older to “age gracefully”—whatever that means. Is Venus Williams—who has now lost ten first-round matches in a row—deluding herself by thinking that she can compete on a reasonable level on the tour? Perhaps. But my expectation is that—if she can still draw a big crowd—tournament officials will probably keep giving her wild cards.

Williams did win a doubles match in Madrid. She and Katie Boulter, playing together for the first time, defeated Jiang Xinyu and Xu Yifan in the first round. They then lost to 7th seeds Hsieh Su-wei and Sofia Kenin in the round of 16. 

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Sunday, April 5, 2026

Jessica Pegula, 2025 champion, wins Charleston Open again

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Though she took on the nickname of Three-Set Jess this week, top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula put a stop to the long grind when it mattered most; she won the Credit One Charleston Open final in an hour and 22 minutes. Competing against surprise finalist Yuliia Starodubtseva, Pegula saved five of six break points, and her first and second serve win percentages were 76.5 and 52.2. 

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

The defending champion glided rather easily through the first set, breaking her opponent twice. Up 6-2, 5-0, however, the momentum shifted a bit, as Starodubtseva broke Pegula on her fourth break point. She then held, but Pegula was successful on her second attempt to serve for the championship. 

Despite the 6-2, 6-2 scoreline, the match was entertaining, and included some first-rate shot-making from both players. 

Yuliia Starodubtseva (photo by Daniel Ward)

After the match, Starodubtseva joked, “I really hoped this was her best match this week, because to be the only two-setter in the tournament is not nice.” The runner-up talked about her anxiety before both the final and her semifinal against Madison Keys. She said that she couldn’t sleep because “…my thoughts kind of didn't stop. It was like, you know, loud in my head last three days.” She then acknowledged that this is in issue that she needs to work on, but also, she believes that the more she advances to big matches, the problem is likely to take care of itself. 

For her part, Pegula said that she was very pleased with the level at which she played today. She had a plan and she stuck to it, even when her opponent made changes and picked up her level. “I think I was able to like go right back to what I know I needed to do and not let her kind of lull me into playing her game, and I was able to kind of nip that in the bud, I guess, any time it felt like it was starting to shift.”

Pegula is the first player to repeat her victory in Charleston since Serena Williams did it in 2013. Williams, like Pegula, won back-to-back tournaments. 

This year, the Credit One Charleston Open became the first 500 tournament to award prize money equal to that awarded at ATP tournaments on the same level. Pegula received $354, 355, and Starodubtseva received $218, 225. The total on-site purse was $2.3 million, and the total player compensation was $2.5 million. Starodubtseva said that she will now be able to have her physio travel with her in Europe.

Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally (photo by Daniel Ward)

There was also an interesting story in the doubles competition. Desirae Krawczyk’s partner withdrew from the tournament, so she had to scramble to find a partner. Fortunately, Caty McNally was available. But there’s more—their opponents in the final—Anna Bondar and Magdalena Frech—also got together at the last minute. And to make the circumstances even stranger, Bondar and Frech played each other in the singles draw; Bondar won, 7-5, 6-3, in the second round. 

Krawczyk and McNally won the championship match 6-3, 6-2. Krawczyk also won the tournament, with Danielle Collins, in 2023, and McNally won it, with Hailey Baptiste, in 2021.


Magdalena Frech, Anna Bondar, Desirae Krawczyk, Caty McNally
(photo by Daniel Ward)

all photos by Daniel Ward

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Yuliia Starodubtseva--the Charleston Open's surprise finalist

player photos by Daniel Ward

The Charleston Open is known for many things, and one of them is the introduction of relatively unknown players to a wide audience. This year, all eyes are on 26-year-old Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine. Starodubtseva was scheduled to play in the qualifying rounds, but because of a withdrawal, she was moved into the main draw. Once there, she took out Zhang Shuai, Ekaterine Gorgodze, Renata Zarazua, McCartney Kessler, and 5th seed and 2019 champion Madison Keys.

Starodubtseva played college tennis at Old Dominion University. When she was 17, she said that she didn't have the money to go professional, and she thought that going to school in the U.S. would be a good idea, especially after "I didn't do super well" in the few tournaments that she played. She had friends on the Old Dominion tennis team, and the school gave her a full scholarship.

After she graduated from Old Dominion, Starodubtseva still didn't have enough money to pursue a professional career, so she became a tennis coach at Westchester Country Club in New York. She coached men and women, and she was also the coach at a children's tennis camp. Sometimes, she said, she worked ten hours a day. Of interest: The Westchester courts on which Starodubtseva coached were green clay.

Starodubtseva met her boyfriend, Pearse Dolan, in college, and--though he wasn't her coach at the beginning of her professional career--he coaches her now.  She has also added Eric Hechtman to her team. Starodubtseva describes herself as thriving on big stages, so today's final will give her a great opportunity.

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Saturday, April 4, 2026

Jessica Pegula goes three sets again, and advances to the Charleston final

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula, who is now known as Three-Set Jess, did it again today. She defeated rising star and 4th seed Iva Jovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 at the Credit One Charleston Open. The match lasted two hours and 35 minutes; she has now spent more than ten hours on the court this week. 

Iva Jovic (photo by Daniel Ward)
 
Pegula told the media: "...I don't think I'm playing my best tennis, either, and I think I've had to kind of find things that are working on the day and kind of find patterns that are working for me that day when the rest of my game isn't there or certain shots aren't there. So I think that's something I've been doing really well this week."

Pegula also addressed her serve, which is good deal faster than it was a year ago. "I'm always working a little bit on placement and getting my serve bigger, but it kind of just happened naturally with all the stuff that we've been working on....

"And I have a pretty live arm. And so I've always thought my serve could be much bigger for my size because with my arm being pretty live for how tall I am. 

"I'm always working a little bit on placement and getting my serve bigger, but it kind of just happened naturally with all the stuff that we've been working on. I haven't really changed much, to be honest, as far as using my legs or my motion. It's really more just, I think, using my hand....And I have a pretty live arm. And so I've always thought my serve could be much bigger for my size, because with my arm being pretty live for all tall I am. So I've always kind of been like, why isn't my serve bigger?"

Yuliia Starodubtseva (photo by Daniel Ward)

In the other semifinal, Yuliia Starodubtseva defeated 2019 champion and 5th seed Madison Keys 6-1, 6-4. Starodubtseva was supposed to have competed in the qualifying rounds, but when Amanda Anisimova withdrew from the tournament, the Ukrainian player was placed into the main draw, and she has certainly made the most of it. Today, she experienced something that is quite typical of a fairly inexperienced player competing against a top seed: She had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the second set, and she was broken. But then she broke Keys at love to get a chance to compete in her first WTA final.

Madison Keys (photo by Daniel Ward)

"I feel like I did a great job breaking her all the first set, and I felt like I could do it again," Starodubtseva said of how she managed the victory after dropping serve.

Pegula and Starodubtseva, who is number 89 in the world, have never played each other. Starodubtseva's aggressive style of play should make for an interesting final. 

The doubles final will feature the team of Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally competing against the team of Anna Bondar and Magdalena Frech. 

all photos by Daniel Ward

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The Ballad of Three-Set Jess


The Ballad of Three-Set Jess

She came to Charleston from Florida
on a wave of last year’s success.
The others thought they could wear her down,
but they don’t know Three-Set Jess

A feisty trickster tried to send her home
in her stunning turquoise dress.
She lobbed and spun and popped and dropped,
then she lost to Three-Set Jess.

Next, it was an Italian’s turn
to create some clay court stress,
which Italians do throughout the world—
but they can’t beat Three-Set Jess

Then a clever Russian tried 
to make her stumble, fault and guess.
It was quite a show, but in the end,
she folded to Three-Set Jess.

Today, a teen of considerable skill—
and a countrywoman, no less—
took on the job—she won a set,
but was beaten by Three-Set-Jess.

Playing for hours and hours on clay
makes the body and brain a mess.
But if you think it troubles our defending champ,
then you don’t know Three-Set Jess.

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Friday, April 3, 2026

Charleston Open semifinalists ready for Saturday action

clockwise from top left: Jessica Pegula, Iva Jovic, Madison Keys, Yuliia Stardubtseva 
(all photos by Daniel Ward)

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Three USA players advance to Charleston semifinals

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Quarterfinal Friday began today at the Credit One Charleston Open with top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula playing—and winning—yet another three-set match. This time, Pegula defeated 7th seed Diana Shnaider 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The Russian player is tricky and tends to move well on clay, and it took Pegula a while to adjust. In addition, it probably didn’t help Shnaider that her leg was heavily bandaged. 

Diana Shnaider (photo by Daniel Ward)

Pegula’s victory today marks the fourth consecutive year that she has advanced to the semifinals in Charleston.

After the match, Pegula (who, by the way, chose to play first today, despite having played a tough afternoon match on Thursday) said that she did get frustrated, having to go three sets again, but that “…for me, it’s always fine as long as I don’t let it linger on and creep into the points….for me, it’s just like, let it out, and then…okay, you still have to compete and think your way through this match.” 

”I mean, today,” Pegula said, “I was thinking of what I need to do better from yesterday, like, what are things I need to work on on the clay?”

Madison Keys (photo by Daniel Ward)

The second match featured 2019 champion (and 2015 finalist) and 5th seed Madison Keys and 2022 champion (and 2023 finalist) and 3rd seed Belinda Bencic. Both players are Charleston veterans: This is Keys’ thirteenth appearance at the tournament, and it’s Bencic’s ninth appearance. Keys was seeking her first semifinal of the year; Bencic was seeking a return to the top 10. And after two hours and almost 23 minutes, it was Keys who got her wish, with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory.

After the match, Keys talked about how her attitude toward clay courts has evolved. “I have grown to not dislike clay. …I think that, over the years, I’ve stopped trying to make these drastic changes to how I play tennis. It’s just the smaller tweaks and how can you actually use the court to help your game. And, honestly, I think I almost like clay better than grass. Right? Crazy, I know!”

Belinda Bencic (photo by Daniel Ward)

Iva Jovic (photo by Daniel Ward)

Next was a contest between 14th seed Iva Jovic (making her Charleston debut) and 8th seed Anna Kalinskaya. Last night, Kalinskaya’s service stats were remarkable: Her first serve win percentage was almost 78, and her second serve win percentage was 70. Today was a different story—those numbers were 55 and 32, respectively. Jovic won the match, 6-3, 6-4, and became the third USA player to advance to the semifinals.Jovic said that playing in Charleston this week taught her “a lot about mental strength…I think I’ve done a really good job of just riding the wave and being okay being uncomfortable sometimes.”

Yuliia Stardubtseva (photo by Daniel Ward)

The last quarterfinal match broke the USA spell. Yuliia Starodubtseva defeated McCartney Kessler 6-4, 6-4. “I can’t say I expected this,” the 26-year-old Ukrainian player said when she talked with the press, “but I feel like I played great the whole tournament, pretty consistent.” 

This is Starodubtseva’s first tour-level semifinal. She played tennis for Old Dominion University, and also coached adults and children at Westchester Country Club in New York. I asked her if being a coach made it easier or harder to pick a coach. “Harder,” she said. “I feel like I’m a great coach, so I have high standards. Her current coach is her boyfriend, who played on the men’s team in college, and she has recently added another member to the coaching team. 

In doubles, Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally received a walkover when Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Yulia Putintseva withdrew from the tournament because of Cocciaretto’s left leg injury. In the other semifinal, Anna Bondar and Magdalena Frech upset 4th seeds Miyu Kato and Giuliana Olmos, 6-1, 6-4.

Here is the singles semifinal draw:

Jessica Pegula (1) v. Iva Jovic (4)
Madison Keys (5) v. Yuliia Starodubtseva 

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Thursday, April 2, 2026

Pegula prevails in yet another "crazy match" in Charleston

Jessica Pegula (photo by Daniel Ward)

Yesterday, in press, someone reminded top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula that she has had a series of "crazy type of matches" in Charleston over the last few years. Pegula said that--at one point yesterday, during her match against Yulia Putintseva--she thought of that: "...all these matches started going through my head, and I was just like, 'why, why, why?' I don't know what it is."

 

photo by Daniel Ward

Whatever it is, it struck again today when Pegula played 14th seed Elisabetta Cocciarietto in the third round. The Italian player, whom Pegula described as having a "very sneaky" serve, was successfully going for all the angles in the first set. She quickly went up 3-0, then won the set 6-1. In the second set, Pegula easily dominated, though the rallies remained long and tough; she took that set 6-1. But then, in the third set, Pegula found herself down 1-4. But, as she said to the media after the match, she felt like, at times, she "wasn't thinking out there, for whatever reason. And I just had to kind of dial in to, like, finding that temperament, finding that problem-solving state of mind."

At 4-5 in the third, Pegula was two points from losing the match. At 5-6 down, she delivered eleven of the last twelves points of the match, which she won, 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(1). The world number 5 is now 8-1 in three-set matches in 2026.

 



Belinda Bencic (photo by Daniel Ward)

Pegula wasn't the only top player who had to deal with a very tough opponent. 2022 champion and 3rd seed Belinda Bencic played lefty Czech Sara Bejlek, and the Swiss star said that it took her a while to get used to opponent's style of play. "...I was just about trying to kind of stay there, you know, tried to fight for every point, kind of accepting that it's not going to be the prettiest of my matches."

When asked about mental adjustments that she had to make during the match, Bencic replied that "Sometimes you're almost embarrassed about your mistakes, and ashamed. You're just like, oh, my God, what are people thinking right now? And then you're like, no, you can't think like this. You just go every point. You just try to fight, and yeah, just stay resilient and don't try to play too pretty, just really try to win the match, and that's all that counts."

Madison Keys (photo by Daniel Ward)
 
2029 champion and 5th seed Madison Keys was also victorious today, defeating Anna Bondar 6-2, 7-5. And 7th seed Diana Shnaider celebrated both her birthday and a 6-3, 6-0 victory against Leylah Fernandez (both lefties). Yuliia Starodubtseva defeated Renata Zarazua 6-1, 6-0, and in an all-USA clash, McCartney Kessler upset 17th seed Peyton Stearns, 6-0, 3-6, 6-4. 

 

Iva Jovic (photo by Daniel Ward)

In the first evening match, 4th seed Iva Jovic, who is making her Charleston debut, defeated 2025 finalist Sofia Kenin 7-5, 7-5. It took three match points and over two hours for Jovic to claim victory. Down 4-5 in the second set, Kenin saved two match points. Jovic took a 6-5 lead, then Kenin--who was in obvious pain--took a medical timeout because of her shoulder. When she returned to the court, she was broken for the fifth time, and Jovic claimed victory.

In the second night match, 8th seed Anna Kalinskaya defeated wild card Paula Badosa 6-4, 6-2. Badosa has performed very well at this event, but tonight, she was up against a very in-form Kalinskaya. The 8th seed won with almost 78% of her first serves, and 70% of her second serves. She hit 22 winners, and was broken only once. 

In doubles, top seeds Aleksandra Krunic and Zhang Shuai were upset in the quarterfinals, 6-1, 7-5, by Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally.

 

Sara Bejlek (photo by Daniel Ward)


 

 

 

Elisabetta Cocciaretto (photo by Daniel Ward)

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Round of 16 underway at the Charleston Open

Belinda Bencic (photo by Daniel Ward)

Playing in the round of 16 this morning in Charleston is 2022 champion and 3rd seed Belinda Bencic. The year that Bencic won the tournament, the runner-up was Ons Jabeur. The next year, Jabeur won, and Bencic was the runner-up. This is the only time that this pattern has ever occurred at the Charleston Open. Bencic made her debut in 2014 and got all the way to the semifinals, in which she was defeated by Jana Cepelova. I recall that being the best match of the tournament. 

Bencic's opponent today is 13th seed Sara Bejlek, who is making her Charleston debut. Bejlek earned her first WTA 500 title this season at Abu Dhabi when she defeated Ekaterina Alexandrova in the final. 

Top seed Jessica Pegula, who had quite a workout yesterday, will compete today against 14th seed Elisabetta Cocciaretto, and 4th seed Iva Jovic will play 16th seed (and 2025 finalist) Sofia Kenin. And wild card Paula Badosa will face off against 8th seed Anna Kalinskaya. 5th seed Madison Keys, 17th seed Peyton Stearns, and Renata Zarazua will also be on the court today, playing Anna Bondar, McCartney Kessler and Yuliia Starodubtseva, respectively. Finally, 9th seed Leylah Fernandez will compete against 7th seed Diana Shnaider. 

Top doubles seeds Aleksandra Krunic and Zhang Shuai will play their quarterfinal match today against Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally.

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Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Charleston Open defending champion defends for over three hours

"She's a nightmare." 

Charleston top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula had played Yulia Putintseva three times before today, and she had won all three of those matches in straight sets. But those matches were played on hard courts, and clay is the surface on which the Kazakstani is best able to use her considerable bag of tricks. And use them she did, against Pegula--the slices, drop shots, high energy groundstrokes. 

"She's a nightmare," Pegula said after the match. "Like, if there's one person in the draw I would really not want to play first match on clay, she was like, the number one, probably, person in the draw. And she's really tricky...."

Pegula served for the match at 5-3 in the third set, but was broken. She said that she felt tight, serving for the match, and "I think I tried to be too cute and hit a couple of drop shots. That probably wasn't a good idea." She was also unable to hold serve at 5-4, and the tension intensified. But Pegula, who is known for not letting anything upset her too much, held her ground and left the court with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory. She and Putintseva played for three hours and ten minutes, and spectators got to see some superb competition.

Also winning today was wild card Paula Badosa, who upset 10th seed Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-4. "It gives me belief again," the former world number 2 said, "like that I can come back, that I have the level, that I can compete against these players, that they can do amazing points, amazing games, and I can fight through that again."

The tournament's other wild card, Bianca Andreescu, didn't have as good an outcome. 2025 finalist Sofia Kenin defeated her 6-4, 6-4, and if this match had a name, it would be "Drop Shot Me to Hell." Both players used the drop shot repeatedly, and not always successfully, in a contest that was often dictated by Kenin. However, in the last half of the second set, Andreescu--who had looked a bit tired--started to display the guile that brought her fame before injuries interrupted her career. The tension picked up considerably, but it was Kenin who was able to claim victory.

2019 champion Madison Keys won her match (6-2, 6-3) against Donna Vekic, Leylah Fernandez defeated Polina Kudermetova 6-2, 6-1, and Peyton Stearns squeaked by countrywoman Ashlyn Krueger 7-6(8), 7-5. Also winning today were Anna Bondar, Yuliia Starodubtseva, McCartney Kessler, and Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

And finally, 4th seed Iva Jovic defeated Alycia Parks in straight sets. At the Media Day event, Jovic said that one of her goals was to add more variety to her game, and she reported that she was able to do that today by mixing up her return positions a bit more, and also mixing up her serve, making her second serve more effective. Tomorrow, Jovic will face off against Kenin in the third round.

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Tuesday, March 31, 2026

Wild cards have a good day in Charleston

Wilds cards Bianca Andreescu and Paula Badosa both won their first round matches today at the Credit One Charleston Open. Their stories, of course, are somewhat different, but both women have experienced serious injuries that have kept them off the tour and robbed them of their rankings. 

Andreescu, playing in Charleston for the first time, defeated Dalma Galfi 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. After the match, the Canadian player spoke highly of her opponent: "...I've played her on every surface now, and every match was very difficult. She has an interesting game style. She hits pretty flat on the backhand. She can roll her forehand and kind of like redirect very well, and now she's started to add like drop shots, slice."

Andreescu said she also had to deal with what she called her opponent's "very tricky serve." She said that she practiced patience today, and that it worked most of the time. Andreescu has been playing on the ITF circuit, and she said that one of the things that she had to adjust to is the difference in court size; the challenger courts are smaller. 

The winner of Indian Wells, Toronto and the U.S. Open in 2019, the former world number 4's very bright future was derailed by repeated injuries, and it has since had many starts and stops. Today marked her first tour-level match win of 2026. 

Paula Badosa (photo courtesy of @CharlestonOpen)
 

Paula Badosa, formerly number 2 in the world, won her opening match against Kayla Day 6-4, 6-3. Talking with the media after the match, Badosa said that she felt very positive and that she had moved well on the clay. She received a lot of crowd support today, and it didn't go unnoticed:

"Maybe when you're playing a lot of matches and you're on the top and everything is like, rolling, you're not very conscious about it. But now that things are not going as well as I would like, I'm really conscious about that....So yeah, it brings me more, maybe, self-esteem and less doubt in a way, and I'm like, okay, let me try to play for them, also. So it pushes me and it gives me this extra motivation, and honestly, for me, it's super, super special." 

photo by Diane Elayne Dees

Another winner today was 2022 champion (and 2023 finalist) and 3rd seed Belinda Bencic, who defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3. 

Also advancing was 8th seed Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Viktoriya Tomova 6-2, 6-4. Talking with the media after her match, Kalinskaya expressed quite well what makes Charleston different for the players: "...I feel like it's very cozy here, so you feel less pressure. ...it's more peaceful."

13th seed Sara Bejlek advanced to the third round when she defeated Akasha Urhobo 6-1, 6-1.

In doubles, top seeds Aleks Krunic and Zhang Shuai defeated Aldila Sutjaidi and Janice Tjen 7-6(3), 7-5.

Tomorrow, top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula will face off against Yulia Putintseva, and 2nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova will play Yuliia Starodubtseva. 

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Monday, March 30, 2026

The players meet the media in Charleston

clockwise from top: Diana Shnaider, Paula Badosa, Belinda Bencic, Bianca Andreescu, Madison Keys, Iva Jovic
center: Jessica Pegula
all photos by Daniel Ward

 

Five of the Credit One Charleston Open's top seeds and two wild cards met with the media today to talk about everything from training to playing styles to dealing with injury--and a lot more.

"I'm my own thing."

Top seed and defending champion Jessica Pegula talked about her unique playing style. Someone pointed out that Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybankina, the two hottest players on the tour right now, are known for their power. "Iga (Swiatek) and Coco (Gauff) are kind of a separate thing--how do you see yourself?" With no hesitation, Pegula replied, "I'm my own thing." She talked about how Sabalenka and Rybakina are very powerful, and how Swiatek and Gauff use their athleticism and their forehand spins.

"I think," Pegulaa added, "I'm kind of a little bit of an outlier...." She considers her game to be balanced, she redirects power well, and she takes the ball early. "I think that I'm just an all-around, very balanced player. I think that it kind of fits my personality, as well. I feel like players kind of play to their personality a little bit."

Diana Shnaider, when asked to reveal something about herself that might surprise fans, said that--while she enjoys being around others--she also likes to be alone. “I want to spend time just by myself, alone….I prefer just shut the room, maybe order Uber Eats and just don’t see anyone.”

Shnaider also discussed the status of her doubles partnership with Mirra Andreeva. She that she and Andreeva will continue to play together at some events; for example, they will be a team in both Madrid and Rome. However, because Andreeva will be concentrating on singles this season, Shnaider will also play with other partners. 

 “I get goosebumps, no matter where I play.” 

The always-candid Paula Badosa, who has long endured a back injury, and more recently, a related hip injury, told us: “I think we all have, like, two voices in our head, and sometimes you can control the negative a bit better, and then there are other moments in your life when you cannot.” Badosa confirmed that her second injury occurred because of over-compensation from the back injury, for which she receives injections. 

The former world number 2 said that she was "not expecting" an injury this time: “I was being very tough on myself—I still am.” Badosa explained that not being in the place that she would like to be has caused her to have anxiety, and that mental training is very important to her. “I love to work on my brain and on my mind because I think it’s another muscle, and I think it’s one of the muscles that doesn’t stop; it’s the only one.” 

Badosa likes yoga, but is currently doing more meditation, writing in a journal, and talking a lot with her psychologist. 

She also explained that--when she sustained her first injury, she was busy traveling to different countries and searching for solutions, but when she sustained the labral tear, she just shut down. "I feel it constantly," she said, and every day, she has to make a decision to train or practice or play. Badosa, who does not want to undergo surgery, pushes through because “I still have this faith, and I still believe in myself. I get goosebumps, no matter where I play.” 

 “I don’t have so much time to think about tennis, and maybe that’s a good thing for me."

Someone asked 2022 champion Belinda Bencic what advice she would give her younger self, and she replied: "To enjoy a little bit more. It went quicker than I thought. Everyone told me that it would go quickly, and I thought, ‘no, I have time.'" She added: "I would also say try to find the right people around you.” 

Bencic has a daughter, Bella, who is almost two, and she brings her to every tournament so that she can be with her in the morning and at night. I asked her if having motherhood as her main focus has eased her tennis mentality, and she said that it indeed has. “I would say it’s eased it up for me a little bit because I can separate my private life and my professional life much more....I don’t have so much time to think about tennis, and maybe that’s a good thing for me. I’m not over-thinking things, I’m more productive on the practice court. I put less effort into being a professional tennis player, and somehow, it’s working for the better.”

As for the Charleston Open, Bencic--echoing the sentiments of other veterans--said that “This is a tournament that I have always played throughout my career, and I will always play it.”

2019 champion Madison Keys was asked what it was like to defend her title in Australia. “It’s kind of like the end of the chapter," she said, "where I got to do the thing I dreamed of for my entire life.” Asked whether winning a major had allowed her to be a bit lighter in how she approaches the game, and she gave a quick "no," and said that the pressure "all comes back pretty quickly."

Keys is a co-host of "The Player's Box" podcast." I enjoy it a lot....It’s been really nice to kind of get to show our personalities a bit more. I think it’s hard for fans to fully grasp who we are as people….” 

The 2025 Australian Open champion said that she also enjoys gardening and taking care of her house, and that lately, she and her husband (who is also her coach) have been expanding their cooking repertoire.

 “I just try to take everything as a challenge, rather than a setback.” 

2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu is in Charleston for the first time. Andreescu has endured multiple injuries, and she talked about the strange course that her career has taken. After she won the U.S. Open, there was the Covid delay, and then she became injured, and didn’t play for 13 or 14 months, a series of events that she described as "very unorthodox." "In a way, I thought that (having a huge win at the beginning of her career) would be my norm because that’s how I started the tour, you know, that was my first year on tour, so I was like ‘cool!’” 

It has been my observation that Andreescu plays better when she has to do instant problem-solving on the court, and I asked her about that. She confirmed my observation:  “And I think that’s still the case. I guess the way I look at it is, when there’s more of a threat. So when I’m down, or maybe I’m playing somebody that I really wanna beat, that extra threat gives me a bit of a push, but I’ve been working on trying to execute from A to Z, the same, and not relying on having that.”

Discussing her many injuries, Andreescu said, "I just try to take everything as a challenge, rather than a setback."  She has doubted, from time to time, whether playing tennis is what she’s supposed to be doing, but she believes that it is. In 2024, she thought about playing challengers, but “I guess my ego got in the way of that.” This time arund, she has successfully played on the ITF circuit. 

As for training post-injury: "You kind of just learn as you go.” Andreescu explained that from time to time, she thinks that she's found a good routine, but then she has to change it. As for mental training, for which Andreescu is known, she said: “I’ve tried many different modalities and methods….” “How much do I work on visualization, how much do I work on manifestation, surrendering—this and that?  So I’m playing around with it.”

 "I think that tennis players are very stubborn, and that can work with us or against us."

Another new face on the Charleston scene is 18-year-old Iva Jovic, who has made quite an impression on the tour. Jovic, who is already ranked number 16 in the world, said that she feels lucky that there are so many other players around her age on the tour. “It’s great to have Vicky and to have Mirra and to have Alex…I’m great friends with all of them, but even with that, it still is lonely. It’s not like you see them at every tournament, and sometimes we’re busy—we don’t have time to grab dinner or catch up….”

Asked if she played any other sports, Jovic enthusiastically talked about playing soccer, and said that playing soccer as a child helped her with her tennis footwork. As for her short-term goals--Jovic is trying to maximize training, and is also working on getting more variety in her game. “How can I get better every day?... I think that tennis players are very stubborn, and that can work with us or against us."

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