CHARLESTON, S.C./WASHINGTON, December 8, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)
The Credit One Charleston Open on Thursday added two new players to its 2024 field. World No. 9 Maria Sakkari of Greece and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens of the United States will play in next year’s tournament.
They join World No. 5 Jessica Pegula of the United States, World No. 6 Ons Jabeur of Tunisia and World No. 12 Madison Keys of the United States in the field.
Sloane Stephens (photo: Charleston Tennis LLC)
The Credit One Charleston Open, the largest women’s-only professional tennis tournament in North America, will take place March 30 to April 7, 2024 on Daniel Island in the South Carolina Lowcountry.
Named the WTA 500 Tournament of the Year, the Credit One Charleston Open is the annual clay season kickoff event on the Hologic WTA Tour and is hosted at the newly renovated and modernized Credit One Stadium.
With the addition of Sakkari, the WTA 500 event will feature three players currently ranked in the Top 10. She ended her 2023 season ranked in the WTA Top 10 for the third consecutive year after reaching the semifinals or better at eight tournaments, including Doha, Indian Wells, Madrid and Washington, D.C., and captured the biggest title of her career in Guadalajara. For the third straight year, Sakkari qualified for the WTA Finals and is the only player from Greece to ever compete in the season-ending tournament.
“I am really looking forward to competing again in Charleston after my last time there five years ago,” Sakkari said in a statement. She has competed in Charleston three times and reached the quarterfinals in her last appearance in 2019. “I played well on the green clay and really enjoyed the tournament’s laid back atmosphere. I would love to lift the Charleston trophy next spring.”
The #CharlestonOpen field now features three of the world’s top 10 players. Be there to watch @mariasakkari step onto the green clay at the Credit One Stadium, where the court meets the coast each spring. Get your tickets today. 🌊🎟️
— Credit One Charleston Open (@CharlestonOpen) December 7, 2023
The 46th-ranked Stephens won the Charleston tournament in 2016, one of seven career WTA titles she’s earned, including the 2017 US Open. She was a 2018 French Open finalist and has been ranked as high as World No. 3. This season, Stephens reached the quarterfinals in Mérida, Austin and Cleveland and the semifinals in Rabat.
Stephens has been a mainstay in the Charleston event, having competed 10 times. She has a 12-9 lifetime record, which also includes quarterfinal finishes in 2019 and 2021.
“Charleston is absolutely one of my favorite stops on the tour and I look forward to the tournament every year. The event always has amazing crowds and I can’t wait to be back again in April,” Stephens said in a statement.
2024 will mark her 11th run on Charleston’s green clay at the Credit One Stadium. 🎾 Don’t miss your chance to watch this American tennis star next spring, single session tickets are available at the link. 🎟️
— Credit One Charleston Open (@CharlestonOpen) December 7, 2023
Tournament Director Bob Moran, for one, is excited by the addition of Sakkari and Stephens to the talent-rich mix of players. “We have an incredible field of tennis champions already committed to play in Charleston next year and ticket sales and demand for 2024 continue to outperform previous records,” he said in a statement.
“Maria had a strong 2023 season and delivered impressive results throughout the year. We are excited to welcome her back to Charleston after a brief hiatus and we know our fans are eager to watch one of the Netflix ‘Break Point’ stars compete on our green clay. Sloane is a beloved fan favorite at our tournament and continues to do remarkable work both on the court and through her foundation. She’s developed a huge fan base of devoted attendees in Charleston.”
