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The 50th edition of the Charleston Open will get underway on April 3, promising an exciting week of tennis action.
World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka was initially the top seed at the WTA 500 tournament but recently withdrew due to an injury she suffered in Miami. Despite the Belarusian's absence, there are some quality players in the main draw of the Charleston Open.
These include last year's finalists Belinda Bencic and Ons Jabeur along with the likes of Jessica Pegula, Daria Kasatkina and Victoria Azarenka.
What is the Charleston Open?
The Charleston Open is a clay-court tournament that takes place in April during the start of the clay-court season.
The inaugural edition of the tournament took place in 1973, with Rosemary Casals beating Nancy Richey 3-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the final. Since then, it has taken place every year apart from 2020 when it was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Belinda Bencic won the Charleston Open last season by beating Ons Jabeur 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in the final.
Other notable winners include record-champion Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.
Venue
The 2023 Charleston Open will take place at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina
Players
Jessica Pegula will be the top seed at the WTA 500 tournament in Aryna Sabalenka's absence. The American recently reached the semifinals of the Miami Open and will be a heavy favorite to win considering her form over the past 12 months.
Ons Jabeur reached the final last season and will be eager to go one step further in 2023. The Tunisian has had a torrid past few months but this could well be a turning point in her season.
Defending champion Belinda Bencic will no doubt have a tough title defense. However, at her best, the Swiss is capable of beating anybody.
The likes of Daria Kasatkina, Victoria Azarenka and Paula Badosa are also in the mix.
This year's Charleston Open will mark the return of Elina Svitolina to the WTA tour, just months after giving birth to her daughter.
Schedule
The qualifying rounds began on April 1 and will conclude on April 2. Main-draw action will commence on April 3. The quarterfinals are scheduled to take place on April 7 while the semifinals are set for April 8. The final will be held on Sunday, April 9.
The official tournament schedule can be accessed here.
Prize Money
The total prize money at the Charleston Open is $780,637 and the winner will receive a cheque worth $158,800, coupled with 470 ranking points.
Here's a detailed breakdown of the prize money and ranking points:
Where to Watch
Viewers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada can watch the tournament live on the following channels and sites:-
USA: All matches will be broadcast on Tennis Channel.
UK: Fans in the UK can watch the proceedings live on Amazon Prime Video.
Australia: All matches will be telecast on beIN Sports.
Canada: Viewers in Canada can watch all the matches on TSN.
