Tennis Atlantic

Steve Fogleman in Charleston

There always has to be a rain delay at any self-respecting tennis tournament on the East Coast, and yesterday’s evening slate was interrupted and rescheduled after early Spring boomers moved across Daniel Island, setting up a big slate for Tuesday play at the Charleston Open.

The good news is that the rain may not return again until the trophy has already been hoisted on Sunday on Stadium Court. Today, Sofia Kenin, with a 4-2 lead, will try to close out the first set on Stadium Court after Maria Sakkari and Marina Stakusic play their previously-scheduled match at 11:00 a.m.

Day winners on Monday included both Kudermetova Sisters–Veronika and Polina–Ajla Tomljanovic, Varvara Grachev–and Americans Caroline Dolehide, Robin Montgomery, Katie Volynets and Caty McNally.

The seeds get trotted out today with Madison Keys (#2), Danielle Collins (#7) and Amanda Anisimova (#8) in action. Other Americans expected to take the courts today include Robin Montgomery (playing Collins), Caroline Dolehide (facing Keys), Louisa Chirico, Hailey Baptiste, Ann Li, and Lauren Davis against Jamie Loeb.

Yesterday hewed toward the favorites, so why wouldn’t today favor an upset or two? Let’s start with Lauren Davis taking on Jamie Loeb. Davis won their last meeting in straights, but Davis is a bit of a serial underperformer in Charleston. At +360, I have to throw a pick to Loeb for a possible upset. The odds are too good not to.

Olivia Gadecki is a +285 underdog in her match with Hailey Baptiste. That, too, would be good enough for small action.

Madison Keys has been spotty in early rounds after her March through Melbourne, and Caroline Dolehide feels tempting at +400, but Keys has looked focused and grounded in her multiple practices at this event, so I’d pass.

Finally, Louisa Chirico looked in-form in her two qualifying wins over the weekend, including a three set comeback to qualify over Rinaldo Persson. Chirico has tremendous difficulty when dropping the first set, but showed real poise on Sunday. She seems to bring her best tennis to the Spring in the U.S. I liked her at +155, but would bet her to win down to +130.