First time at a WTA-only tournament… and already, the girls do it better.
We’ve made it to Charleston—and it’s our first time ever covering a WTA-only event. After attending ATP-only and mixed events, we wanted to switch things up in 2025 and find out why the Charleston Open is constantly ranked among the best.
It turns out, the hype is real.
Why Charleston?
The Charleston Open is the largest WTA-only tournament in North America and a WTA 500-level event. Not only that, it’s been voted Best WTA 500 tournament in the world for three years in a row. That’s a pretty big deal—and we came to see what makes this event so beloved.
We landed in Charleston and went straight from the airport to the grounds. From the moment we arrived, it was easy to see why players and fans love it here.
The vibe is warm, welcoming, and refreshingly relaxed—something you immediately feel in the energy of the staff, volunteers, and attendees. That Southern hospitality is real, and it brings a unique charm that sets this tournament apart.
Small Grounds, Big Energy
The venue is intimate and easy to navigate—roughly half the size of Indian Wells or the US Open—but every court brings you close to the action.
The main courts include:
• Credit One Stadium
• Althea Gibson Stadium
• Court 3
Each court is compact enough to create that magic you only get when you feel right there with the players, no matter where you’re sitting.
It’s still early days, so we’re holding off on a full review—but first impressions? We’re loving the feel of this place.
Media Day Highlights 🎤
Today was also Media Day for the top-seeded players, who all have a first-round bye.
The standout of the day was Daria Kasatkina, who is officially playing her first tournament as an Australian permanent resident after previously representing Russia. We’ve included the audio from her interview below.
[Apologies for the audio. The Media Day interview location was not ideal]
We also heard from Qinwen Zheng, who had a great moment with the press. While she can appear intense and serious on court, she showed a fun, warm, and chill personality during media day—describing this duality as something she’s aware of and leans into.
We’ll be sharing more from today’s press sessions later this week—lots of great insights and moments still to come.
Main Draw Begins (And Then Ends Early) ⛈️
It wasn’t just media day—the main draw kicked off, too. We caught first-round wins from Robin Montgomery and Ajla Tomljanović, (shoutout to autocorrect trying to sabotage her name every time) and we’ll be featuring interviews with both players in an upcoming podcast.
But the day was cut short by severe thunderstorms, a not-so-subtle reminder that we are officially in the Lowcountry. Play was suspended, and everyone took cover as the storm rolled through.
And then—just as quickly—the skies cleared and we were treated to one of the most magical sunsets we’ve seen in a while. A little chaos, a little calm. The full Charleston experience.
We’re off to a great start, weather and all. Can’t wait to bring you more from the grounds tomorrow.
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