Top Seed Pegula, Charleston’s Navarro Head Action-Packed Wednesday

’17 CHAMP KASATKINA SET TO MAKE DEBUT UNDER AUSTRALIAN FLAG

Top seed Jessica Pegula and local favorite Emma Navarro head an action-packed Wednesday Credit One Charleston Open lineup that also features a pair of former Grand Slam champions and Olympic gold medalists in Sofia Kenin, Jelena Ostapenko, Belinda Bencic and Zheng Qinwen.

Wednesday Order of Play

Daria Kasatkina, the 2017 champion, will get things started at 11 a.m. in Credit One Stadium when she makes her debut under the Australian flag. The former world No. 8 is in for a first-time matchup with American wildcard Lauren Davis.

Navarro, the fourth seed, will take on countrywomen Hailey Baptiste in the second day session matchup. Baptiste, 23, has steadily risen in the PIF WTA Rankings since cracking the Top 100 in March 2024. Her goals for 2025?

“I think just continuing to believe in myself and cleaning up little things here and there on the practice court,” said Baptise, ranked No. 90. “But just keeping the confidence that I have. I know that I’m doing a lot better now, and I know why I’m doing a lot better. So continuing to do those things and believe in myself.”

Fresh from a runner-up finish at the Miami Open (l. to Aryna Sabalenka, 7-5, 6-2), Pegula will kick off her tournament campaign against qualifier Iryna Shymanovich.

“I always love coming here. I love playing here,” said Pegula. “I don’t really mind the transition that much, to the green clay. It’s pretty easy for me. I grew up playing on green clay when I was a kid.”

A winner last year at the Summer Games in Paris, the No. 3 seed Zheng of China will kick off the night session (not before 6 p.m.) in a mouthwatering clash with 2024 semifinalist Maria Sakkari of Greece. Sakkari holds a slight 2-1 edge in career head-to-heads, though Zheng claimed their most recent encounter in the Round of 16 in Zhengzhou in 2023.

Belgium’s Elise Mertens, a quarterfinalist here last year, will face Frenchwoman Varvara Gracheva in the Credit One Stadium nightcap.

Highlighting the Althea Gibson Club Court schedule is the Bencic vs. Kenin matchup. Kenin claimed their only previous encounter, 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4, in the Mallorca final in 2019.

Latvia’s Ostapenko, the 11th seed, is second up on Court 3 against American qualifier Louisa Chirico.

Jessica Pegula.