One of the highlights of Day 1 of the 2023 WTA Credit One Charleston Open is the battle between two Top 50 players: Jil Teichmann and Linda Fruhvirtova. It’s the first career meeting between the two. Who do you think will come out on top? As always, we also predict the rest of the day’s matches. We split them between this and three other articles. One features Elina Svitolina vs Yulia Putintseva, the second highlights Sloane Stephens vs Louisa Chirico, and the third features Anna Kalinskaya vs Anhelina Kalinina.
WTA Charleston Day 1 Predictions
Kayla Day vs Sachia Vickery
Head-to-head: Vickery 2-1
These two have played three times before, but it will be their first clay-court meeting. Sachia Vickery has had some injury issues in recent years, but in her prime, she was very capable of getting good runs on the dirt. Unlike Kayla Day, she lost two sets in the qualifying here, but also faced a much tougher set of opponents–Ashlyn Krueger and Laura Siegemund. Especially that second win was quite impressive and Vickery still has more upside than Day, even at this stage of her career.
Prediction: Vickery in 3
Lauren Davis vs Katherine Sebov
Head-to-head: Davis 1-0
Katherine Sebov is quietly enjoying a pretty great season, including the Linda Noskova upset in Australian Open qualifying and an ITF title in Toronto. She also blasted her way through the qualifying here, but faces a much tougher opponent now in Lauren Davis. The Hobart champion might need to shake off a bit of rust before she’s ready to play her best, but she’s more likely to do that eventually that Sebov is to take her out of the event.
Prediction: Davis in 3
Fiona Crawley vs Alize Cornet
Head-to-head: First meeting
This is quite an opportunity for the college tennis standout Fiona Crawley (University of North Carolina) to test herself against a Top 100 player. It’s really hard to estimate where exactly the American will be compared to Alize Cornet, but it’s not like the veteran is in top shape at the moment. In fact, she’s at just 1-6 for the season. It would still be a shock to see Crawley win, but it wouldn’t be the upset of the century.
Prediction: Cornet in 2
Jil Teichmann vs Linda Fruhvirtova
Head-to-head: First meeting
Jil Teichmann played this event twice and never went past the opening round of the qualifying event. Now she’s of course firmly inside the Top 50 and easily gets direct entry. Trying to stop her from getting her first win in Charleston will be the 17-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova, who’s definitely stagnating a bit so far this season. The young Czech is very consistent, but on clay, her lack of depth and attacking repertoire might end up being more visible.
Prediction: Teichmann in 3
Main Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
