Last year’s Wimbledon and US Open finalist Ons Jabeur started her clay season with a 6-3 6-3 win over Lesla Tsurenko in 1 hour and 28 minutes at the Credit One Charleston Open. Jabeur reached the semifinal in 2021 and the final in 2022 in her past two appearances at the Charleston tournament.
Jabeur suffered from a minor knee after the Australian Open and missed the entire Middle East Swing. She came back for the Sunshine Double last March, but she won just one of her three matches in Indian Wells and Miami combined. She has a win-loss record of 4-4.
Jabeur saved five of the seven break points she faced in the match and converted 5 of her 13 break points.
Jabeur raced out to a 5-0 lead with two breaks of serve. Tsurenko pulled one break back to reduce her gap to 3-5, but Jabeur served out the first set 6-3 at love.
Jabeur started the second set with a break at deuce in the first game of the second set. Tsurenko broke straight back to draw level to 1-1. Jabeur broke for the second time in the ninth game to close out the second set 6-3.
Victoria Azarenka came back from one set down to beat Sloane Stephens 3-6 6-3 6-2 levelling their head-to-head matches to 4-4.
Stephens went up a break twice, but Azarenka broke back both times for 3-4, but Stephens earned her third break in the ninth game to win the first set 6-3.
Azarenka broke serve in the second game to race out to a 3-0 lead. Stephens pulled back on serve for 2-3, but Azarenka broke for the second time in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Azarenka held on her next two service games to win the second set 6-3.
Both players traded breaks in the third and fourth games to draw level to 2-2. Azarenka won the final four games with two breaks to take the third set 6-2.
Azarenka set up a Round of 16 match against Anna Kaliskaya, who beat Alizé Cornet 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-2.
Local favourite Shelby Rogers came back from one set down to beat Danielle Collins 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-1 in 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Rogers bounced back from losing the first-set tie-break to clinch her third consecutive win against Collins. She broke Collins four times in the second and third set and won eight of the last nine games.
Rogers achieved her first win in her home tournament since 2019. The Charleston native player reached the quarter finals at this event in 2017.
Collins earned the first break in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead. Rogers broke straight back to draw level to 4-4.
Collins won six consecutive points with two mini-breaks to clinch the first-set tie-break 7-2.
Rogers broke in the fourth game to take a 4-1 lead. Collins pulled back on serve in the seventh game to draw level to 4-4. Rogers broke again in the 10th game to win the second set 6-4.
Rogers earned two breaks in the second and sixth games to seal the third set 6-4 on her second match point.
“She was painting every line out here. I knew it was going to be really tough. She can just turn it on at any moment, so I knew once I got ahead in the third set, I really had to stay with it. It never gets old, playing here every time. I have got chills right now, and I am really happy I could get it done today”, said Rogers.
Madison Keys cruised past wildcard Emma Navarro 6-4 6-3 in 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the second round.
Keys hit 29 winners and broke serve four times. The US player broke twice in a row to race out to a 4-0 lead. Navarro pulled one break back in the eighth game for 3-5. Keys sealed the first set on her first opportunity.
Keys earned an early break in the first game of the second set. Navarro did not convert three break points at 3-3. Keys sealed the win with a double break on her second match point.
“I absolutely love playing here. I cannot believe I have been here every single year for ten straight seasons now. I am so happy to be back. I love coming here. The fan support is amazing, everyone who is involved, are some of my favourite people in the world, so it’s always a stop on my schedule”, said Keys.
