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On Tuesday, both Elena Vesnina and Taylor Townsend won their first-round matches at the Volvo Car Open in Charleston, SC.

Vesnina began her tournament against Madison Brengle, winning 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Townsend, meanwhile, upset Heather Watson with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.

What's next for Tuesday's victors? That would be a Wednesday meeting in the Tennis Channel Plus Match of the Day.

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This meeting between Vesnina and Townsend will be their first at the WTA level, and it's an important one.

For Vesnina, this tournament is a chance to prove she's still a serious threat in singles. The 31-year-old reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2016 and won Indian Wells last year, helping her ascend to a career-high No. 13 ranking. But a second-round loss at this year's BNP Paribas Open saw substantial ranking points drop off, causing her to plunge to her current position of No. 42. The Russian—currently ranked No. 2 in doubles—feels like she has what it takes to keep competing for titles in singles, and after a disappointing 1-2 record in March, Charleston is a chance to hit the reset button.

Townsend, meanwhile, has to be thinking that it's time for her to start making her own deep runs in tournaments. The 21-year-old played well against Watson today, but this is a former junior world No. 1 that hasn't yet won a tournament at the WTA level.

The good news for Townsend is that she appears to be in a lot better shape now than she has been in recent years. Perhaps it's time for her to start putting it all together. A win in this match would go a long way in building her confidence.

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Tennis Channel Plus Match of the Day: Elena Vesnina v. Taylor Townsend

Tennis Channel Plus Match of the Day: Elena Vesnina v. Taylor Townsend

WTA Charleston (4/2-4/8)

Tennis Channel Plus has live outer-court coverage from the Volvo Car Open beginning Monday 4/2 at 10 AM ET. All matches from the tournament will be available on-demand.

Davis Cup Quarterfinals (4/6-4/8)

Check out Davis Cup ties Germany vs. Spain, France vs. Italy and Kazakhstan vs. Croatia LIVE beginning Friday 4/6 at 5:30 AM ET on Tennis Channel Plus

WTA Miami

Miss any of the action from the Miami Open? Catch up and watch all your favorite WTA players anytime and on-demand on Tennis Channel Plus

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