It promises to be a great third day of the WTA Charleston Open. There are 13 matches on the schedule, including Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng’s opening match against Maria Sakkari. Anna Kalinskaya and Yulia Putinsteva also begin their campaigns in Charleston. We predict the rest of the action in separate articles, including Jessica Pegula vs. Iryna Shymanovich, Emma Navarro vs. Hailey Baptiste, and Belinda Bencic vs. Sofia Kenin.
WTA Charleston Day 3 Predictions
Anna Kalinskaya vs Caty McNally
Head-to-head: McNally 1-0 Kalinskaya
McNally’s comeback victory against Anhelina Kalinina in the last round clearly meant a lot to her. Coco Gauff’s former doubles partner returned in November from a severe elbow injury and has struggled for long periods of her comeback. Kalinskaya’s patchy start to 2025 might give the American hope of causing an upset. However, she played at a great level against the eventual runner-up Jessica Pegula at the Miami Open, losing in a deciding set tiebreak. McNally will struggle to play on the front foot if her opponent comes close to that level again.
Prediction: Kalinskaya in 2
Yulia Putintseva vs Shuai Zhang
Head-to-head: Putintseva 6-2 Zhang
Putinsteva has won her last six matches against Zhang, including a dominant performance at the 2025 Australian Open. All their previous meetings were on hard courts, but playing Putintseva on her favorite surface is unlikely to help the veteran Chinese opponent. Zhang does not have the overwhelming power needed to hit her way out of trouble, and she struggles against the Kazakhstani’s variety and athleticism. Putintseva’s ongoing four-match losing run is one source of hope for Zhang in this challenging matchup.
Prediction: Putintseva in 2
Qinwen Zheng vs Maria Sakkari
Head-to-head: Sakkari 2-1 Zheng
While there have been flashes of promise for Sakkari since she returned from shoulder injury at the start of 2025, she almost certainly needs to raise her level to challenge Zheng. The conditions in Charleston should suit the No. 3 seed’s game perfectly. The clay court bounce makes her heavy topspin forehand more formidable, and the green clay being slightly quicker than red will also help her serve. Sakkari, a semifinalist at last year’s Charleston Open, might find it tough to compete even if she is at her best.
Prediction: Zheng in 2
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
