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The @CreditOneBank @CharlestonOpen Adds Top 10 Players @JLPegula & @PaulaBadosa for 2023 Edition #CHS #WTA

Posted by Admin on October 18, 2022
Posted in: Charleston, WTA. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment
Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

CHARLESTON, S.C. – World No. 5 Jessica Pegula and World No. 8 Paula Badosa have entered the 2023 Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America. The WTA 500 tournament, which is the annual clay season kickoff event on the WTA Hologic Tour, is set to return April 1 – 9, 2023 in the renovated and modernized Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina. Badosa and Pegula join past Charleston champions Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens in the growing player field for next year’s event.

“Having two top 10 players join our field six months before our tournament showcases our dedication to bringing the world’s best competitors to Charleston,” said Bob Moran, Tournament Director of the Credit One Charleston Open and President of Charleston Tennis LLC. “Jessie and Paula have had exceptional 2022 seasons and both are at the top of their game. We are off to a strong start for our 2023 tournament and have more exciting player announcements on the horizon.”

Pegula is currently the only WTA player ranked in the top 10 for both singles and doubles. She reached three Grand Slam singles quarterfinals this season, in Melbourne, Paris and New York, as well as the doubles final in Roland-Garros. In total, she’s had eight quarterfinal or better finishes throughout her 2022 season. In addition to her Grand Slam appearances, she made the finals in Madrid, the semifinals in Miami, Toronto and San Diego and the quarterfinals in Cincinnati. 

The American recently qualified for the WTA Finals, the season-ending championships, in both singles and doubles, and is the only player presently competing in dual draws. The 2023 Credit One Charleston Open will be her fifth time appearing in the tournament’s main draw. She was a Charleston doubles quarterfinalist in 2022. 

“Charleston is like a second home to me and I can’t wait to be back in April to play the Credit One Charleston Open again,” said Pegula. “I am really proud of the tennis that I’m playing right now and it would be amazing to win a title in a city that holds such a special place in my heart.”

Badosa holds three WTA career singles titles, which includes the 2022 Sydney title and 2021 Belgrade and Indian Wells titles. She was a 2021 Roland-Garros quarterfinalist and has been ranked as high as World No. 2 this season. 

In 2022, she was a semifinalist in Stuttgart, San Jose and Indian Wells and a quarterfinalist in Miami, Charleston and San Diego. In addition, she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon and Roland-Garros. The Spaniard will play Charleston for the third time in 2023, where she holds a 6-2 win-loss record. 

“Reaching the semifinals in Charleston in 2021 really propelled my career forward,” said Badosa. “I’ve had strong back-to-back seasons and have had great results each year in Charleston. After reaching the semis and quarterfinals, I would love to win there in 2023.”

The nine-day Credit One Charleston Open showcases a singles draw of 56 players, a qualifying draw of 32 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. The event traditionally hosts more than 90,000 attendees on Daniel Island. Additional players who have committed to competing in 2023 will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages Credit One Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, recently renovated and modernized the 20-year-old facility. The city-owned venue underwent upgrades to enhance the stadium experience for patrons, performers, tennis players and event management, allowing the venue to attract world-class athletes and talent to Daniel Island.

The Credit One Charleston Open celebrated its 50th year in 2022. The tournament has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports since 1973, paving the path for female tennis players to receive equal recognition, respect and pay in the sport. Originally held on Hilton Head Island, the event moved to Charleston in 2001 and is played on Daniel Island at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to the Credit One Stadium.

Tickets for the 2023 tournament will be available on October 27 and can be purchased online at creditonecharlestonopen.com or by calling (843) 856-7900. When purchasing tickets for the 2023 Credit One Charleston Open, patrons will have the option to choose from single session tickets ($25+) and a range of upgraded ticket packages and seat offerings, including the Intro Package ($280), Finale Package ($360), Champions Package ($275) and Tournament Long Package ($600+). Packages provide exclusive and premier views of the court from 100 and 200 level stadium seating, as well as the best value on tickets. In addition, select packages will also offer tennis patrons shaded seating, a new feature as part of the renovated stadium’s Stage House. 

For additional information, please email tickets@charlestontennisllc.com. For more information on the Credit One Charleston Open, visit creditonecharlestonopen.com or call 843-856-7900. 

About the Credit One Charleston Open:
The Credit One Charleston Open is North America’s largest women’s-only tennis tournament. The event, formerly known as the Volvo Car Open, moved to Charleston, S.C., in 2001 from Hilton Head Island, S.C., and celebrated its 50th year in 2022. The Credit One Charleston Open traditionally welcomes more than 90,000 spectators each year. The tournament features a singles draw of 56 players, a qualifying draw of 32 players and a doubles draw of 16 players. In conjunction with Tennis Channel and WTA Media, the Credit One Charleston Open is showcased from the first ball struck in main draw competition to the last ball played in finals, throughout the U.S. and 174 international partners. The tournament receives more than 100 hours of tennis coverage, broadcast live from Charleston across the globe to millions of fans. The tournament is operated by Charleston Tennis, LLC. For more information on the Credit One Charleston Open, visit creditonecharlestonopen.com, call (843) 856-7900, email info@charlestontennisllc.com, Facebook (Credit One Charleston Open), Twitter (@CharlestonOpen) or Instagram (@CreditOneCharlestonOpen).

—A. Alpino

First Round Action Kicks Off 2022 @CitiOpen Main Draw Play

Posted by Admin on August 1, 2022
Posted in: ATP, Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

First Round Action Kicks Off 2022 Citi Open Main Draw Play

Steve Fogleman in Washington

Andy Murray graced this city with his presence but bowed out in the first round of the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. on Monday night, falling to Sweden’s Michael Ymer in three sets.

“Yeah, it was disappointing obviously,” he said after the loss. “I thought there was some good tennis in the first set. After that both of us were struggling a bit physically. The level of the tennis was not great but, yeah, obviously had chances in the first set to close that out. I had set point in 6-5, then two in the tiebreaker, two or three in the tiebreaker, and didn’t get it. Frustrating.”

Murray opined that the only positive of the early loss was more time to practice before heading to Canada later in the week.

Earlier in the day, former world #1 Simona Halep faced little resistance from Spain’s Cristina Busca in the first set but went into a bit of a tailspin in the second before securing the victory.

“Yeah, my energy dropped (in the second set)” she said. “I’m not used. I didn’t play the last months in this heat. It’s always tricky to start the tournament. Now I know. I got used to the conditions better.”

She concluded, “First round is difficult. But it’s good that I finish in two sets.”

She should know. The last time she played here was in 2017, when she wilted in the heat on her way to retirement.

Top-ranked American Jessica Pegula was fully prepared for 2019 Citi Open upset specialist and local player Hailey Baptiste. Baptiste beat Madison Keys in the first round of the 2019 event here and Pegula was not looking past her.

I am a sucker for cliches like “epic comeback”, but Daria Saville’s match against qualifier Mirjam Bjorklund was one for the tournament. After losing the first set 6-3, she clawed back to win the next two sets and the match, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) after 3 hours and 9 minutes. The 10th game of the third set went on for 15 minutes and Bjorklund’s level of play never dropped. Saville, nee Gavrilova, will need the two day rest to face top American Pegula in the round of 16.

Kyle Edmund is back, mate! The 2020 New York Open champion (right as the coronavirus was attacking New York City for the first time) won his first match in almost 20 months today after injuries sidelined him from the tour. Edmund indicated that he was not at his best, but it’s good to see him back on court and I’m interested in how he’ll fare against countryman Daniel Evans tomorrow night.

2021 @CitiOpen Women’s Invitational Starts Tonight

Posted by Admin on August 5, 2021
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2021 Citi Open Women’s Invitational Starts Tonight

WASHINGTON-AUGUST 5—Starting tonight, Coco Gauff, Victoria Azarenka and Jessica Pegula will compete in the Citi Open Women’s Invitational, a special, round-robin singles event as part of Citi Open week. Pegula and Gauff were crowned singles and doubles champions, respectively, in the WTA Tour’s 2019 Citi Open.

The inaugural champion will receive $25,000 in prize money. The Women’s Sports Foundation will be the beneficiary of the tournament and will receive a $50,000 donation from the Citi Open, Citi and the Mark and Sally Ein Foundation. 

Coco Gauff

  • WTA No. 25; 2019 Citi Open women’s doubles champion; 5 WTA titles (2 singles, 3 doubles); 2021 French Open quarterfinalist

Victoria Azarenka

  • Current WTA No. 15; Former World No. 1; 30 WTA titles (21 singles, 9 doubles); 2012 and 2013 Australian Open winner; 2012, 2013 and 2020 U.S. Open finalist
Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jessica Pegula

  • 2019 Citi Open women’s singles champion; Current WTA No. 28; 2021 Australian Open quarterfinalist

Schedule:            

Thursday, August 5 (Following tonight’s. match on Stadium Court)

Coco Gauff vs. Victoria Azarenka

Friday, August 6 (Final day session match on Stadium Court)

Victoria Azarenka vs. Jessica Pegula

Saturday August 7 (Following 7 p.m. match on Stadium Court)

Coco Gauff vs. Jessica Pegula

The format is best of 3 sets, regular scoring, with a 10-point super-tiebreak to decide the third. The player with the best record will be crowned the champion. In the event of a tie, the champion will be decided by most sets, or if necessary, most games won.

2020 @WorldTeamTennis Semifinal #2 Prediction

Posted by Admin on August 1, 2020
Posted in: ATP, World Team Tennis, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2020 World TeamTennis Semifinal #2 Prediction

Courtesy World Team Tennis

The late afternoon semifinal between the Orlando Storm and the expansion Chicago Smash should be a close match. Despite the teams sharing a 1-1 head to head record, the key to the Smash has been the monstrous doubles play of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and whatever partner with whom they team her up. Although the Storm beat the Smash, 21-16, on July 14, it was in large part due to Danielle Collins rolling over Sloane Stephens 5-0. In the loss, Mattek-Sands and Genie Bouchard managed a 5-1 victory against Pegula and Darija Jurak. When the Smash beat Orlando, 24-19 five days later, Mattek-Sands and Bouchard again beat Jessica Pegula, this time paired with Collins, by a 5-3 score.

No one expects Stephens to put in a poor performance against Jessica Pegula today and the men’s singles between Tennys Sandgren and Brandon Nakashima looks to be a draw. Pegula and Ken Skupski will have their hands full with Team Bethanie as well, with Mattek-Sands and Rajeev Ram on the other side of the net for the mixed doubles match.

Prediction: Chicago Smash d. Orlando Storm, 22-18

—S. Fogleman

The @OrlandoStormWTT Close to Clinching @WorldTeamTennis Playoff Berth With Win Over @SDAviators

Posted by Admin on July 28, 2020
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ORLANDO STORM CLOSE IN ON PLAYOFF BERTH WITH IMPRESSIVE VICTORY AGAINST SAN DIEGO AVIATORS, 19-15

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.V. (July 27, 2020) – The Orlando Storm moved one step closer to clinching a coveted four-team World TeamTennis playoff spot with a 19-15 victory over the San Diego Aviators on Monday night on Center Court at Creekside Stadium – The Greenbrier “America’s Resort.”

The Storm improved to 8-4 and remained in sole possession of third place behind league leading Philadelphia (9-2) and Chicago (9-3), while the Aviators fell to 3-9 and in last place in the WTT standings in this the final week of the WTT regular season.

The Storm jumped out to a commanding 15-5 lead after the first three sets, getting wins in Mixed Doubles (Ken Skupski/Jessica Pegula), Women’s Singles (Pegula) and Men’s Singles (Tennys Sandgren). Former WTT Male MVP Ryan Harrison of the Aviators battled Sandgren shot-for-shot from the baseline in a tight singles affair that saw Sandgren come out on top, 5-3.

One of the bright spots of the night for the Aviators was the doubles play of Christina McHale and the newest Aviator Kveta Peschke, who beat Pegula and Darija Jurak, 5-1, in Women’s Doubles. Just before Sunday night’s WTT trade deadline, Peschke – a former world No. 1 doubles player – and Sabine Lisicki were traded from the New York Empire to San Diego for Coco Vandeweghe and Nicole Melichar.

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Harrison and Jonny O’Mara took out Sandgren and Skupski in Men’s Doubles, 5-2, in the final set to make the score 18-15. That sent the match into Extended Play where Skupksi held serve in doubles for the win.

ORLANDO STORM PLAYER KEN SKUPSKI: “I think the difficulty with this year with COVID was that everyone came into the tournament differently. You really have to take your time and figure out where your strengths and weaknesses are. I think if we keep playing the way we have been then we’ll have a good shot to win it all.”

Orlando Storm defeats SAN DIEGO AVIATORS, 19-15 (EP)

Mixed Doubles: Ken Skupski/Jessica Pegula (Storm) def. Jonny O’Mara/Christina McHale, 5-2

Women’s Singles: Pegula (Storm) def. Kveta Peschke (Aviators), 5-0

Men’s Singles: Tennys Sandgren (Storm) def. Ryan Harrison (Lasers), 5-3

Women’s Doubles: McHale/Peschke (Aviators) def. Pegula/Darija Jurak (Storm), 5-1

Men’s Doubles: O’Mara/Harrison (Aviators) def. Skupski/Sandgren (Storm), 5-2

Extended Play: 1-0 Storm. With Orlando leading 18-15, Skupski held his doubles serve to end the match.

—S. Pratt, WTT

The @OrlandoStormWTT End @PhillyFreedoms Win Streak in Early @WorldTeamTennis Saturday Action

Posted by Admin on July 25, 2020
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The @OrlandoStormWTT End @PhillyFreedoms Win Streak in Early @WorldTeamTennis Saturday Action

The Philadelphia Freedoms rode a six match win streak into Saturday morning, and with 2020 Australian Open women’s singles champion Sofia Kenin on the roster, there was little reason to the think that the streak would not extend further. The Orlando Storm found themselves in a tight race to remain in the World Team Tennis top tier, as the top four teams in the league will contest the semifinals and final next weekend.

What followed was a blowout by WTT standards. So many sets in this competition end with a tiebreak that it was surprising to not see a 5-4 result on the scorecard today, where the Storm dominated the Freedom, 23-13.

Tennys Sandgren and Ken Skupski bageled Donald Young and Fabrice Martin to take a big 5-0 lead in men’s doubles. Jessica Pegula stepped up to the plate in route to a breezy 5-2 victory over Kenin and you had the feeling that it was going to be a good day for the Storm. Pegula followed up her singles win with a doubles victory with Darija Jurak. The pair beat Taylor Townsend and Caroline Dolehide, 5-3. Sandgren finished off the Freedoms with a 5-3 victory over Taylor Fritz and the rout was over. Pegula was selected as the “Chosen” Player of the Match for her efforts, although Sandgren must have been a close second for the nod.

The Storm badly needed to win today and their record now improves to 6-4. With the victory, the Storm maintain a one-half match lead over the Vegas Rollers and one full match lead on the Washington Kastles, who are currently outside of the playoff bubble.

Orlando will open tomorrow’s WTT action as well, taking on the 2019 league champion Springfield Lasers in a must-win match for Springfield.

—S. Fogleman in West Virginia

American @JLPegula Storms into @CitiOpen Women’s Final

Posted by Admin on August 3, 2019
Posted in: Citi Open, Washington, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

Jessica Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Jessica Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

American Jess Pegula Storms into Citi Open Women’s Final
Steve Fogleman in Washington

I’ve seen her in tennis club cafeterias at ITF events and witnessed her trying to qualify for bigger tournaments countless times throughout the United States, but I saw Jessica Pegula do something different today: make the final of a WTA international level tournament. She did so by defeating the qualifier Anna Kalinskaya, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in a Citi Open Women’s Semifinal in Washington.

The first set was all Pegula, and Kalinskaya required a medical timeout to deal with cramping before holding her own through the second and pushing the third set. There was nothing left in Kalinskaya’s tank at that point and Pegula took the finale in a breezy 6-1 affair.

Anna Kalinskaya 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Anna Kalinskaya 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz for TennisAtlantic.com)

Tour level success has been elusive for Pegula thus far for the 25-year-old Buffalo, New York native. Since turning pro in 2013, she’s only enjoyed one such final appearance: on the carpet in Quebec last year where she fell to Pauline Parmentier. She’s a rich girl, and she’s gone too far, storming all the way into the vaunted final of the Citi Open, where the likes of Magdalena Rybarikova, Sloane Stephens and Svetlana Kuznetsova have won glory, if not household notoriety.

Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)
Jess Pegula, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: Mike Renz)

Looking ahead to tomorrow, Pegula has a 2-1 head to head record against Camila Giorgi, but the two haven’t met in match play in seven years. She’s 1-1 against Caty McNally, having beaten then 16-year-old McNally on clay last year in Tampa in straight sets before losing to now 17-year-old McNally in straight sets on the hard courts of Midland, Texas.

Lucky Loser Norbert Gombos First Man to Reach Round of 16 @CitiOpen, Wasn’t Even in Main Draw This Morning

Posted by Admin on July 31, 2019
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Norbert Gombos, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Lucky Loser Norbert Gombos First Man to Reach Round of 16 @CitiOpen, Wasn’t Even in Main Draw This Morning
Steve Fogleman in Washington

Norbert Gombos got a good night’s sleep last night. That was a good thing.

“I was here and practicing, and I’d already booked my flight ticket back home for tomorrow,” he said after his upset win against Adrian Mannarino of France at the Citi Open in Washington. “I just woke up and was already set up for a practice with Tsonga, and I signed up for lucky loser.”

Norbert Gombos, 2019 Citi Open (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

He was defeated by American Tim Smyczek in qualifying on Sunday. After he signed up for lucky loser status this morning, he was shortly thereafter informed that Kevin Anderson might be withdrawing (right knee pain), which gave him less than three hours to get ready for his match.

It was, in fact, like winning the lottery. “I’m just happy to play again here, against the top players in the world,” he told me. And the 28-year-old Slovakian will face another surprise in Miomir Kecmanovic, who upset Pierre Hugues Herbert in three sets this afternoon. One of these guys will become a Citi Open quarterfinalist.

In WTA play, American Jesse Pegula was down a set and a break but managed to claw her way back to victory over Iga Sweitak of Poland.

Qualifying Finals Set @USOpen

Posted by Admin on August 26, 2016
Posted in: ATP, US Open, US Open Qualifying, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Qualifying Finals Set at 2016 US Open
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

FullSizeRender (7)

Pegula

This is my favorite part of qualifying, when one match now stands between these players basking in the glory of participating in a grand slam main draw and getting a $43,300 check just for showing up at that match. In the past, a loss in qualifying meant very little in compensation. This year, the USTA increased the prize money so that qualifiers who make it to the third round receive over $10,000. Trust me, that money barely covers their expenses. To make for a very profitable trip to New York, you’ve got to qualify. And we’ve got 32 final money matches on tap today after we sorted the second round on Thursday in Flushing Meadows.

Court 5 was loaded with Americans on Thursday, but only one of them pulled through to the big money round. 14-year-old Amanda Anisimova showed poise in winning the second set against Japan’s Eri Hozumi, but the young American got a taste of future heartbreak when she set up a third set tiebreak only to lose it at 1. After the Anisimova match, Jesse Pegula took the court, and few would have guessed that her straight sets win over An-Sophie Mestach would be the sole American victory on that court. Ilya Ivashka bested Ryan Shane, France’s Myrtille Georges shocked Melanie Oudin in a rain-punctuated affair and Reilly Opelka was forced to retire in the third set against Santiago Giraldo.

Pegula was satisfied with her win today, after losing to Mestach recently. “I’m feeling really good. I thought today was a really good win. I knew I was going to have to be mentally tough today, given the conditions and because I lost to her a few weeks ago,” she said. After a rough start to the year, she made the semis at Citi Open last month. “I don’t know what it is, maybe I just warm up by this time of year”, she joked. “I’m excited and have a lot more tournaments after this too, and excited to end this year with some good momentum.”

Today, she’ll try to qualify for the event for the second consecutive year. “Qualifying, I would say, is so tough. I almost think it’s tougher than if you were playing in the main draw because obviously everyone is so hungry. Everyone wants to do well and it’s such a big stage”, she said.

Asia Muhammad also had a statement win to stay alive for Friday’s big money round with a 6-2, 6-2 knockout of Cindy Burger.

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Muhammad

There’s no exhaustion on her part during this qualifying marathon. “I actually feel better than I did after the first (qualifying) match”, she told us. On the rigors and advantages of qualifying, she agreed with Pegula. “If you can qualify, I think it’s nice getting into the main draw having some matches under your belt, getting used to the court, so I actually think it can you help you sometimes when you’re playing someone who hasn’t even played a match yet”.

By my count, there are only two players staying at my hotel, Myrtille Georges and Viktoriya Tomova. Both players are little known in these parts, and both of them are still standing. If they both win today, I’m crediting it to the legit massage parlor downstairs and the fabulous breakfast on the rooftop and inviting Melanie Oudin to stay here next year.

Qualifiers Set @FamilyCircleCup, Monday Order of Play

Posted by Admin on April 5, 2015
Posted in: Charleston, Family Circle Cup, WTA. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Qualifiers Set @FamilyCircleCup, Monday Order of Play
Steve Fogleman, Tennis Atlantic

Jessica Pegula (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Jessica Pegula (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)


It’s Easter Sunday at Family Circle Cup in Charleston and that means the annual Easter Egg Hunt. It also means lots of kids on the grounds. My favorite kid was the one who was apparently intrigued by a foot fault call, because he ran around the rest of the afternoon screaming “Foot Fault!” to various startled fans. A big psych to you, tennis fans. Way to go, kid!

No Easter Eggs for 44-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm but a bagel and a breadstick instead as German Laura Stiegemund breezed past Date-Krumm at 0&1.

Sara Sorribes Tormo probably had the second easiest day. The Spaniard took out Jovana Jaksic 6-2, 6-2. Sorribes is one loud and animated customer and she got the job done this weekend.

American Jessica Pegula, who trains at the Family Cup Tennis Center, used the home court advantage to pull away from Lesley Kerkhove in the second set, 7-6(5), 6-3. Thank you, Jessica.

Kateryna Bondarenko, with husband Denis pacing the stands, were both relieved to escape a tough out in Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-4, 7-6(10). Match point was a bad call from my spot behind the baseline, but the call was upheld after a challenge, sending the 27 year old Ukrainian back into the main draw in Charleston. A nice effort and a decent weekend for Haddad nonetheless.

Kateryna Bondarenko & Denis Volodkov (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Kateryna Bondarenko & Denis Volodkov (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Beatriz Haddad Maia (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Beatriz Haddad Maia (Photo: TennisAtlantic.com)

Another great effort that fell short but was ultimately impressive on the weekend belonged to Maria Sanchez, who lost to Kristina Kucova on Althea Gibson Court 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.

The match of the weekend for me was Danka Kovinic’s 3-set nail-biting win against Naomi Osaka. 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(8) was the final score. This match could have easily gone Osaka’s way several times. Credit to Kovinic for persevering.

On the final match of the day on Court 3, top qualifying seed Lucie Hradecka survived a first tough set with Czech compatriot Barbora Krejcikova to advance to the main draw, 7-6(3), 6-4.

And the final match of qualifying weekend 2015 found Louisa Chirico with a three set loss against Sesil Karatantcheva, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

The 8 Americans went 1-7 in qualifying, with only Jesse Pegula advancing. She’ll play Sachia Vickery tomorrow.

The qualifiers are slotted.

Pegula gets Vickery (and a win, I predict)
Kovinic gets McHale (tricky)
Bondarenko draws Riske (not fair, but Riske should prevail)
Hradecka faces Diyas (Diyas looks good in practice)
Kucova gets Lucic-Baroni (meh)
Siegemund sees Cabu (the German is on fire)
Sorribes squares off against Pavlyuchenkova (could happen)
and Karatantcheva drew Stosur (nope)

ORDER OF PLAY – MONDAY, APRIL 06, 2015
FAMILY CIRCLE STADIUM start 10:00 am
[16] H. Watson (GBR) vs D. Vekic (CRO)
S. Rogers (USA) vs S. Soler-Espinosa (ESP)
T. Babos (HUN) vs [15] M. Barthel (GER)
N. Gibbs (USA) vs S. Zhang (CHN)

ALTHEA GIBSON CLUB COURT start 10:00 am
T. Maria (GER) vs I. Falconi (USA)
G. Min (USA) vs L. Davis (USA)
[Q] J. Pegula (USA) vs [WC] S. Vickery (USA)
[Q] D. Kovinic (MNE) vs C. Mchale (USA)
[Q] K. Bondarenko (UKR) vs A. Riske (USA)

COURT 3 start 10:00 am
S. Voegele (SUI) vs Y. Shvedova (KAZ)
A. Tomljanovic (CRO) vs A. Dulgheru (ROU)
[13] I. Begu (ROU) vs [Q] L. Siegemund (GER)
[11] Z. Diyas (KAZ) vs [Q] L. Hradecka (CZE)

COURT 4 start 10:00 am
M. Erakovic (NZL) vs C. Scheepers (RSA)
Y. Putintseva (KAZ) vs E. Rodina (RUS)
M. Lucic-Baroni (CRO) vs [Q] K. Kucova (SVK)
G. Dabrowski (CAN) / A. Rosolska (POL) vs A. Kudryavtseva (RUS) / A. Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)