The Charleston Open kicked off with an intense match between Katie Volynets and Arantxa Rus, lasting a grueling 3 hours and 43 minutes. Volynets, a 22-year-old Californian ranked 110th, fought her way through the qualifying rounds to secure her spot in the tournament. She emerged victorious and will now face 10th-seeded Emma Navarro in the next round.
Another highlight of the opening day was Amanda Anisimova's return to the tour after her last appearance at the Australian Open. The 2019 French Open semifinalist displayed strong form in a dominant 6-3, 6-0 win over Alize Cornet. Anisimova's next challenge will be a second-round clash against top-seeded Jessica Pegula, who received a bye in the first round.
Former Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki made a statement with a commanding 6-0, 6-1 victory over qualifier McCartney Kessler. Magda Linette also advanced by defeating Petra Martic 6-3, 6-4, while Shelby Rogers secured a convincing 6-1, 6-1 win against Claire Liu. Qualifier Varvara Gracheva emerged victorious over wild-card entry Clervie Ngounoue with a score of 6-2, 6-1.
The Charleston Open promises more thrilling matches as top players compete for the title. Stay tuned for more exciting tennis action in this prestigious clay-court tournament.