Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova, and defending champion Danielle Collins ensured a perfect start for the Americans in the second round of the WTA 500 Credit One Charleston Open. All three players secured their spots in the Round of 16 on Tuesday evening.
No. 2 seed Madison Keys faced a challenging match against Caroline Dolehide but ultimately won in straight sets. Despite needing eight match points, Keys defeated her fellow American 6-3, 7-6(4).
Keys was leading by a set and a break, holding four match points at 6-3, 5-4. However, Dolehide fought back, saving those chances and two more in the subsequent game, leveling the second set in a powerful exchange.
Keys, currently ranked at a career-high World No. 5, remained composed in the tiebreak to finally overcome her compatriot. This victory marks her 20th match win of the year.
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`I think Dolehide started playing her best tennis towards the end, and I became a bit passive. Then suddenly, seven match points later…` Keys commented in her on-court interview, shaking her head. `The drama just kept building, and everyone just wants to go home.`
`But I managed to finish it, and I`m excited to play another match here.`
The path is open for Keys to potentially win her second Charleston title. Her previous victory was in 2019 against Caroline Wozniacki, securing her first clay-court title in a city she loves.
`I’ve been coming here for over a decade, and I love it,` Keys mentioned. `Bjorn Fratangelo and I got married here. I always feel like this is one of my favorite places in the world, and I`m so happy to be playing here again.`
Defending Champ Cruises
Danielle Collins continued the American success on Credit One Stadium, starting her title defense with a victory over another American player. As the No. 7 seed, Collins defeated Robin Montgomery 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 9 minutes, marking her seventh consecutive win in Charleston.
Collins` title run last year was part of a 15-match winning streak, which propelled her back into the Top 10 rankings. Last year in Charleston, she secured her first WTA 500 title, just a week after winning her first WTA 1000 title at the Miami Open in 2024.
Collins` determination to extend her Charleston streak was evident as she confidently defeated 20-year-old Montgomery, who is close to breaking into the Top 100. Collins dominated the match, winning 80 percent of her first-serve points and preventing World No. 105 Montgomery from getting any break points.
`I’m most pleased with my mindset and my relentlessness,` Collins said on court after her win. `Being aggressive with my shots, not dwelling on mistakes, and allowing myself some breathing room.`
Anisimova Advances
The evening session on Credit One Stadium concluded with No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova`s 6-2, 6-2 victory over Veronika Kudermetova, the 2021 Charleston champion. Anisimova had previously lost twice to Kudermetova but secured her first win against the former Top 10 player in this match.
Anisimova reached the semifinals in Charleston in 2022, her best performance at a WTA 500 event. She aims to surpass that result this week, during a period where she is arguably playing her best career tennis. In February, she won her biggest title at the WTA 1000 Doha, and recently achieved a career-high ranking of No. 16.
More updates to follow…
