All-play Thursday: Quarterfinal spots on the line as Rogers-Bencic clash features
Ons Jabeur is still dreaming of a fairytale photoshoot at the Credit One Charleston Open.
A year after finishing as runner-up here, the Tunisian superstar renewed her hope of hoisting the trophy come Sunday – and then heading to an iconic location from the movie The Notebook to have her winning picture snapped.
“If I win this year, I want to take the picture in one of those film locations”, Jabeur, the No. 2 seed, told reporters this week. “You guys help me… do the research!”
The world No. 5 looks to take another step closer to both the trophy and said photoshoot on Thursday when she meets American Caroline Dolehide for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Theirs is one of eight third-round clashes on all-play Thursday, with No. 1 seed Jessica Pegula looking to carry her momentum from a fiery start on Wednesday, when she dropped just two games.
Pegula takes on veteran Irina-Camelia Begu, the Romanian leading their head-to-head 2-1.
“I’ll have a tough match against her,” Pegula said. “She’s tough on clay. It’s going to be a good test for me physically and mentally.”
Both Charleston native Shelby Rogers and reigning champion Belinda Bencic had a late night at the office Wednesday, but in vastly different ways. Rogers roared back from the brink to beat Caty McNally, while Bencic sped by Canadian qualifier Katherine Sebov.
They are the final match of the afternoon session and meet for a seventh time, Bencic leading Rogers 5-1 overall.
“I will be ready for nothing less than a battle,” Rogers said of Bencic. “She’s been on fire so far this year.”
Other top seeds in action include 2019 champion Madison Keys, who headlines the evening session against 2023 Australian Open semifinalist Magda Linette. The American is 19-8 in her decade-long career in Charleston.
2017 winner Daria Kasatkina, the No. 3 seed, has another American in lefty Bernarda Pera in the third match on Althea Gibson Club Court, while two-time major champ Victoria Azarenka opens the day on Club Court against Anna Kalinskaya.
Former world No. 2 Paula Badosa kicks off Credit One Stadium’s Thursday lineup, taking on 19-year-old Diana Shnaider, who also competes as a freshman on the NC State women’s team.
Pure. Just so pure 💯
This is what it means…@Shelby_Rogers_ • #CharlestonOpen pic.twitter.com/kpvuCwn9WF
— Credit One Charleston Open (@CharlestonOpen) April 6, 2023
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