Eleventh Hour Bondar/Frech Pairing Aims for #COCO26 Doubles Crown
Magdalena Frech (serving) and Anna Bondar
BONDAR/FRECH TO FACE AMERICANS KRAWCZYK/MCNALLY SUNDAY
Desirae Krawczyk (USA)/Caty McNally (USA) vs. Anna Bondar (HUN)/Magdalena Frech (POL)
Sunday, Credit One Stadium, 11 a.m.
A last-minute, spur-of-the-moment decision has Hungary’s Anna Bondar and Poland’s Magdalena Frech on the verge of the 2026 Credit One Charleston Open doubles title.
Bondar and Frech had teamed up just once before, four years ago on these very same courts, when they reached the quarterfinals. But there were no plans for a reunion. That is, until Bondar got nostalgic.
“When I got here, I had some good memories, so I asked her at the last minute if she wanted to play,” said Bondar. “We had chemistry from the very first match.”
The reconnection looked short-lived early on, as their first two matches came down to 10-point tiebreakers. But Bondar/Frech marched on, edging Leylah Fernandez/Kristina Mladenovic, 7-6(2), 2-6, 11-9, and Nicole Melichar-Martinez/Alexandra Panova, 2-6, 7-5, 10-2. They had an easier go of it on Friday night in Credit One Stadium, dispatching Miyu Kato/Giuliana Olmos in orderly fashion, 6-1, 6-4.
Now the tandem finds itself playing for the championship.
“It’s really special, especially to be here with Anna,” said Frech, into her first doubles final at the WTA 500 level. “We didn’t expect to be playing together. We know each other pretty well, so it’s easy to give each other advice.”
Caty McNally and Desirae Krawczyk
As fate would have it, these teammates would go head-to-head in the singles draw, with Bondar claiming a 7-5, 6-3 victory over the 11th seed Frech in the second round. But the outcome doesn’t seem to have affected their friendship.
“We don’t have any expectations. We’re playing freely,” said Frech. “We’re just enjoying our time on court together.”
They’re in for their toughest test yet in the potent American team of Desirae Krawczyk and Caty McNally. Krawczyk is a familiar face in Charleston. The part-time podcaster, who is part of the “The Player’s Box” along with countrywomen Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Jennifer Brady, won this event alongside Danielle Collins in 2023, and reached the final last year with Caroline Dolehide. She is a four-time Grand Slam champion in mixed doubles. McNally, meanwhile, was the doubles titlist here in 2021 with Hailey Baptiste.
“It’s going to be a tough match for sure. They’re really good,” said Bondar. “We’ll just keep focusing on our game, ourselves, and try to do our best.”
Krawczyk and McNally have yet to drop a set through two matches, having advanced to the title match when Yuilia Putintseva and Elisabetta Cocciaretto retired due to the latter’s left leg injury.
McNally and Krawczyk
