Credit One Charleston Open Releases Preliminary Player Field Featuring 10 Top 25 Players and 11 Americans

Charleston field includes defending champion Jessica Pegula and two-time 2025 Grand Slam finalist Amanda Anisimova, as well as 2025 Australian Open champion Madison Keys and local standout Emma Navarro

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Credit One Charleston Open, North America’s largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament, has released the preliminary player field for the 2026 event, taking place March 28 – April 5 on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina. The preliminary main draw is highlighted by 10 top 25 players, 11 Americans, three Grand Slam singles champions and four former Charleston champions. As the kick-off event of the clay season on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz, the tournament was recently named the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. 

Headlining the field are World No. 5 and 2025 Charleston champion Jessica Pegula, World No. 6 and two-time 2025 Grand Slam finalist Amanda Anisimova, World No. 11 and two-time Charleston semifinalist Ekaterina Alexandrova, World No. 12, 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist and 2022 Charleston champion Belinda Bencic, World No. 15, 2025 Australian Open champion and 2019 Charleston champion Madison Keys, World No. 18, 2025 Guadalajara champion and 18-year-old sensation Iva Jovic, World No. 20 and 2025 Monterrey champion Diana Shnaider and World No. 25, Lowcountry tennis standout and 2025 Merida champion Emma Navarro. 

The 2026 lineup also reflects the strength of American tennis, with 11 U.S. players entered in the main draw, including Pegula, Anisimova, Keys, Kenin and Navarro, as well as Jovic, Peyton Stearns, Hailey Baptiste, McCartney Kessler, Caty McNally and Ashlyn Krueger. 

Former champions Keys, Pegula, Bencic and Daria Kasatkina (2017) return to compete for another Charleston title.

“This year’s field reflects the strength and depth of women’s tennis right now,” said Bob Moran, President of Beemok Sports & Entertainment. “With 10 top 25 players confirmed, a strong group of American contenders and athletes representing 20 different countries, the level of competition in Charleston will be incredibly high. From established champions to emerging talent, fans can expect world-class play on the green clay of Credit One Stadium.”

Player field stats include:

• • 10 Top 25 Players: Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Iva Jovic, Diana Shnaider, Elise Mertens, Anna Kalinskaya and Emma Navarro
  • Four Charleston Open Champions: Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys, Belinda Bencic and Daria Kasatkina
  • Three Grand Slam Champions: Madison Keys (2025 Australian Open), Jelena Ostapenko (2017 Roland Garros), Sofia Kenin (2020 Australian Open)
  • Olympic Gold Medalist: Belinda Bencic (Tokyo) 
  • 11 American Competitors: Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova, Iva Jovic, Madison Keys, Emma Navarro, Sofia Kenin, Peyton Stearns, Hailey Baptiste, McCartney Kessler, Caty McNally and Ashlyn Krueger
  • Five 2026 WTA Champions: Elisabetta Cocciaretto (Hobart), Sara Bejlek (Abu Dhabi), Jessica Pegula (Dubai), Peyton Stearns (Austin), Cristina Bucsa (Merida)
  • Five Grand Slam finalists: Jessica Pegula (2024 US Open), Amanda Anisimova (2025 Wimbledon & US Open), Madison Keys (2017 US Open), Sofia Kenin (2020 Roland Garros), Leylah Fernandez (2021 US Open)

Four additional players will join the main draw via wild card entry, to be announced at a later date. To round out the field, six players will earn entry into the main draw via qualifying competition. The nine-day Credit One Charleston Open showcases a singles draw of 48 players, a qualifying draw of 24 players, and a doubles draw of 16 players. The event hosts more than 90,000 attendees on Daniel Island. 

“For more than 50 years, the Credit One Charleston Open has been an important part of the clay court season and the growth of women’s professional tennis,” said Moran. “As North America’s largest women’s-only professional tournament, we’ve built a strong tradition of competition and community here in Charleston. We’re grateful to Credit One Bank for its continued support of our players and its commitment to equal prize money. In 2026, we’re excited to award equal prize money for the first time, with total player compensation reaching $2.5 million – an important step for our event and the athletes who compete here each spring.”

As the kickoff event of the WTA Tour’s clay season, the Credit One Charleston Open is held annually at Credit One Stadium and was named WTA 500 Tournament of the Year in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. In April, Credit One Bank extended its title partnership through 2031 and announced the tournament will offer $2.5 million in equal prize money beginning in 2026, marking a significant milestone for the event. The increase reflects the bank’s commitment to advancing investment and opportunity in women’s sports and further positions Charleston as a leader on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. With this move, the Credit One Charleston Open became the first standalone WTA 500 tournament to voluntarily raise prize money. 

The Credit One Charleston Open has been a pioneer in women’s professional sports since 1973, paving the way for female tennis players to receive equal recognition, respect and compensation in the sport. The tournament has a long history of breaking new ground in tennis, having been the first women’s tennis event to offer $100,000 in prize money in 1973 and the first to be broadcast live on network television. The inaugural champion, Rosie Casals, received a check for $30,000, which was the largest prize money payout awarded to a woman that year. Originally held on Hilton Head Island, the event relocated to Charleston in 2001 and is now played at the LTP Daniel Island tennis center, home to Credit One Stadium. 

The Credit One Charleston Open has launched its Fan Hub, a centralized destination for all on-site experiences and tournament happenings. Beyond world-class tennis, fans can enjoy nine days of elevated dining, theme nights, live music and interactive programming, highlighted by the debut of a new eatery on-site, The Kitchen, and a signature Oyster Roast on Saturday, March 28, featuring all-you-can-eat oysters during qualifying weekend. Special event tickets are on sale now at creditonecharlestonopen.com or by calling (843) 856-7900, in addition to a variety of single-session and package options available. Special discounts are available for juniors, seniors, USTA members and military members. Juniors aged 16 and under receive complimentary general admission with the purchase of an adult ticket, courtesy of Credit One Bank.

Charleston Tennis, LLC, which manages Credit One Stadium under a lease from the City of Charleston, renovated and modernized the 20-year-old facility in 2022. 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.