World No. 10 and 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and two-time Australian Open champion and World No. 14 Victoria Azarenka have entered the Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America.
The tournament, which was recently named the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, is the annual clay season kickoff event on the WTA Hologic Tour. The Charleston Open is scheduled April 1 through April 9 in the recently renovated Credit One Stadium on Daniel Island.
The field now features eight of the world’s top 15 players, including World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, World No. 3 Jessica Pegula, World No. 4 Ons Jabeur, World No. 8 Daria Kasatkina, World No. 9 Belinda Bencic, World No. 10 Rybakina, World No. 11 Veronika Kudermetova and World No. 14 Azarenka.
“Adding two Grand Slam champions to an already strong field reinforces the level of talent that will be on display in April at the Credit One Charleston Open,” said Bob Moran, tournament director of the Credit One Charleston Open and president of Charleston Tennis LLC. “Elena is the defending Wimbledon champion and recently competed in the finals at the Australian Open. Victoria is consistently a top player on tour, winning two Australian Open titles, reaching three U.S. Open finals and just last month playing in the semifinals in Melbourne. We are extremely proud of the caliber and depth of our player field and are excited for our fans to experience the best in women’s tennis.”
Rybakina began the 2022 season with a finals finish at Adelaide International 1 and a quarterfinals appearance in Indian Wells before winning her maiden Grand Slam at Wimbledon. She defeated seven opponents to capture the title, including a set-down comeback in the final against 2022 Charleston finalist Jabeur. The 23-year-old became the first player representing Kazakhstan to win a Grand Slam singles championship and is currently the only player from her home country to ever be ranked in the world’s top 10.
Rybakina recently reached the finals at the Australian Open, defeating World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the fourth round before succumbing to eventual champion Sabalenka. The 2023 Charleston Open will be her third time in the player field.
Azarenka has 21 career WTA singles titles, including the 2012 and 2013 Australian Opens. She is also a two-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion and a mixed doubles Olympic Gold medalist. Her resume contains an impressive 18 Grand Slam quarterfinals or better appearances, including the 2023 Australian Open semifinals and three U.S. Open finals.
The former World No. 1 has held a top 20 or better ranking for 14 of the past 16 seasons. This will be Azarenka’s first time competing in the Charleston Open since 2010.
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.
Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages Credit One Stadium under a lease from the city of Charleston, recently renovated 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.
Tickets for the 2023 tournament can be purchased online at creditonecharlestonopen.com or by calling 843-856-7900.
