While the men begin the week by taking a few days to prepare for the Davis Cup quarterfinals, there’s no spring break for the women. The WTA’s top players slide out of the spring hard-court swing in Miami and straight into the clay season. But there is a little transition time built in. Before flying across the Atlantic to start the long slog on European dirt, they a take short flight up the coast from Florida to the green clay at Charleston’s Volvo Car Open.
Most of the top players make that flight, anyway. One big name, and one new name, have chosen to head back across the continent for the season’s last hard-court event, in Monterrey, Mexico.
Here’s a look ahead at what might be in store at both tournaments this week.
Volvo Car Open
*Charleston, S.C.
$800,000; Premier
Green clay court*
See the draw here
“We like to look for who’s next,” Charleston tournament director Bob Moran says. He’s not kidding: Over the last decade, his event has had an uncanny knack for giving fans a sneak preview of the WTA’s future. Since 2007, Jelena Jankovic, Samantha Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Sloane Stephens have all won the Volvo Car Open, and gone to either win a major, or a reach the final of one. In the 2017 Charleston final, Daria Kasatkina beat Jelena Ostapenko in what was then a battle of unknowns. Neither is unknown now.
Will anyone have a similar breakthrough this week? No. 1 seed Caroline Garcia, who made her Top 10 debut last fall but has yet to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, would be a logical candidate. But a deep run through this field isn’t a given. Stephens, Kasatkina, Petra Kvitova, 2015 finalist Madison Keys, Johanna Konta, Anastasia Sevastova, Julia Goerges and Naomi Osaka are all in Charleston. Osaka would also be a possible next-big-thing prospect, if she hadn’t just won her first title in Indian Wells, and followed it up with a win over Serena Williams in Miami.
First-round match to watch: Osaka vs. Jennifer Brady
American to watch: Caroline Dolehide. The 19-year-old nearly beat Simona Halep in Indian Wells, and has made it through qualifying in Charleston.
What's at Stake discussion:
