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The 50th edition of the Charleston Open will be held from April 4-10, with qualifying matches already underway. Aryna Sabalenka leads the way as the top seed in the tournament.
Top-10 players Paula Badosa, Karolina Pliskova and Ons Jabeur are the star attractions in a rather competitive field. Veronika Kudermetova returns to defend her title, while Petra Kvitova, Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys are also in the mix.
Former Grand Slam champions Iga Swiatek, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza and Jelena Ostapenko were set to participate, but have withdrawn from the tournament.
On that note, here's all the information you need to know about the Charleston Open.
What is the Charleston Open?
The Charleston Open is one of the oldest tournaments on the WTA circuit. The inaugural edition was played in 1973 and the tournament enters its milestone 50th edition this year. It is classified as a WTA 500 event on the women's tour and is the only tournament to be played on green clay.
From 1973 to 2000, the tournament was held at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, with the exception of the 1975 and 1976 editions, which were held in Florida. Since 2001, the tournament has taken place in Charleston, South Carolina.
This year marks the beginning of a new chapter in the tournament's rich history. With a new and revamped stadium as well as a new title sponsor, Credit One, the Charleston Open is set to raise the bar for women's tennis.
Plenty of high-profile players have competed in Charleston since the inception of the tournament. Former champions include legends like Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, and Venus and Serena Williams, among others.
Players
Aryna Sabalenka is the top seed following the withdrawal of newly crowned World No. 1 Iga Swiatek due to an arm injury. She headlines the top half of the draw, which also features former Charleston Open champion Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova and Ons Jabeur.
In the bottom half of the draw, former US Open finalists Leylah Fernandez and Karolina Pliskova are on a collision course. The Czech will have to get past Sloane Stephens, who's also in her section of the draw.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who reached the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, could face the ever-dangerous Kaia Kanepi in the second round. Defending champion Veronika Kudermetova has ended up in a tough section of the draw as she's likely to face Belinda Bencic and Paula Badosa for a semifinal spot.
Schedule
The qualifying rounds will begin on Saturday, April 2, with the main-draw play commencing on Monday. While the night session will begin at 7 pm throughout the week, the day session will start at 10 am and 11 am. The tournament features a 56-player draw, with the top eight seeds receiving a bye into the second round.
The quarterfinals are to be held on Friday, followed by the semifinals and the final on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
The official tournament schedule can be accessed here.
Prize Money
The total prize money for the 2022 Charleston Open is $888,636. The women's singles winner will take home a cheque worth $68,570 and 470 ranking points.
Where to watch
USA: Viewers in the United States can catch all the action on Tennis Channel.
UK: Fans in the UK can watch the proceedings live on Amazon Prime Video.
