Wildcards Badosa, Andreescu Rediscover That Winning Feeling

By Richard Osborn Mar 31, 2026 08:12pm ET

KRUEGER PULLS THROUGH IN THREE AT LTP DANIEL ISLAND

Wildcards Bianca Andreescu and Paula Badosa, each of whom have experienced their fair share of injury setbacks in recent years, returned to their winning ways on Tuesday at the Credit One Charleston Open.

Rebounding from a slow start, Andreescu eventually found her footing on the green clay of Credit One Stadium, rallying for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 decision over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi in just under the two-hour mark. The Canadian hadn’t won a tour-level match since an opening-round triumph last summer on home turf in Montreal.

It was payback for a 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 first-round loss to Galfi earlier this month in Austin.

“I’ve played her on every surface now, and every match was very difficult,” said Andreescu. “She has an interesting game style. She hits pretty flat on the backhand. She can roll her forehand and redirect very well. Now she’s started to add drop shots, slice. Her serve is really good. I’m just happy I was able to pull through.”

Paula Badosa

Badosa had an easier time against American qualifier Kayla Day in Credit One Stadium, scoring a straight-sets 6-4, 6-3 win in one hour and 35 minutes.

“It always feels good to come back to the clay,” said the Spaniard, who converted five of 11 break points on the afternoon. “I think I played a pretty solid match. She’s a very talented player. I didn’t know much about her, so I was pretty surprised by her level. I’m happy that I got the win.”

Her victory set up an enticing matchup against two of the tour’s most fiery figures: Badosa vs. 10th seed Maria Sakkari of Greece.

Ashlyn Krueger outlasted fellow American Caty McNally in three sets, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3, on Althea Gibson Club Court.

“It was a battle,” said Krueger, No. 103 in the PIF WTA Rankings. “We both played really up and down tennis, I think. I served much better in the first set than the second, and she upped her game. Caty started serving much better, and just really using her forehand from the middle of the court well. In the third set, I tried to take that away as much as possible and get her moving.”

“For a first match on clay, I was really happy with it. Obviously, I wish it could have been not as long, but I’m definitely happy with my movement and the way that I competed.”

Also advancing on Tuesday was eighth seed Anna Kalinskaya, who dispatched Bulgaria’s Viktoriya Tomova, 6-2, 6-4. Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, the 2022 Charleston champion, needed three tight sets to get past Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3.

Jessica Pegula made her return to the Charleston match courts for the first time since claiming the 2025 singles title, this time in doubles. But she and fellow American Asia Muhammad fell to Jennifer Brady and Erin Routliffe, 6-4, 7-6(4).