The 2026 Charleston Open is set to get underway today as the main draw action begins at the LTP-Daniel Island Tennis Center. While notable names like Emma Navarro, Amanda Anisimova, Beatriz Haddad Maia and Maya Joint have withdrawn, the tournament still features a strong lineup.
Day 1 will be headlined by players such as Donna Vekic, Eva Lys, Sloane Stephens, McCartney Kessler and Jennifer Brady. They will be joined by the likes of Alycia Parks, Ajla Tomljanovic, Katie Volynets, Yulia Putintseva and Dayana Yastremska, among others.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the predictions for some of the key matches scheduled on Day 1 of the 2026 Charleston Open.
Charleston Open 2026 Day 1 singles predictions
Donna Vekic vs Ajla Tomljanovic
Donna Vekic booked her spot in the main draw of the Charleston Open with commanding wins over Sachia Vickery (6-2, 6-2) and Ekaterine Gorgodze (6-2, 6-3) in the qualifying rounds. Meanwhile, Ajla Tomljanovic received direct entry into the main draw and arrived following a second-round exit at the Miami Open.
Vekic and Tomljanovic have faced each other twice before, with the Croatian winning both encounters in Wuhan (2014) and Istanbul (2018), giving her a 2-0 head-to-head advantage.
Predicted winner: Vekic in three sets.
Alycia Parks vs Mary Stoiana
Alycia Parks enters the matchup on the back of a third-round loss to Coco Gauff in Miami. Her opponent, Mary Stoiana, had to come through qualifying, beating Kristina Mladenovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and Darja Vidmanova 6-2, 7-6(2) to set up a first-ever clash with Parks.
Parks brings power and a big serve, looking to take control quickly, while Stoiana relies more on consistency and rally tolerance. If Parks finds her range, she can dominate, but Stoiana could benefit if the match becomes more extended.
Predicted winner: Alycia Parks in straight sets.
McCartney Kessler vs Elvina Kalieve
Their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Predicted winner: McCartney Kessler in straight sets.
Eva Lys vs Katie Volynets
Lys and Volynets have met once before, in the qualifying rounds of Lausanne in 2022, with the German coming out on top.
Predicted winner: Volynets in straight sets.
Yulia Putintseva vs Lulu Sun
They have never met before.
Predicted winner: Yulia Putintseva in straight sets.
Dayana Yastremska vs Anastasia Zakharova
Yastremska holds a 1-0 head-to-head lead over Zakharova going into their first-round encounter at the Charleston Open.
Predicted winner: Dayana Yastremska in straight sets.
Sloane Stephens vs Renata Zarazua
Zarazua has defeated Stephens in both of their previous meetings, in Acapulco in 2020 and Auckland earlier this year.
Predicted winner: Renata Zarazua in straight sets.
Jennifer Brady vs Viktoriya Tomova
Tomova holds a 1-0 head-to-head lead over Brady going into their first-round encounter at the Charleston Open.
Predicted winner: Jennifer Brady in three sets.
Akasha Urhobo vs Solana Sierra
Their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Predicted winner: Akasha Urhobo in straight sets.
Anna Bondar vs Darja Vidmanova
Their head-to-head record stands at 0-0 in Bondar’s favor.
Predicted winner: Anna Bondar in straight sets.
Edited by Pritha Ghosh
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