Patience is a prerequisite for clay-court success.

Americans Jessica Pegula and Sofia Kenin dumped the waiting game in the dirt imposed their games from the outset in impressive Credit One Charleston Open victories today.

The top-seeded Pegula streaked through eight straight games dismissing qualifier Iryna Shymanovich 6-0, 6-3 to power into the third round.



Making a smooth transition to clay after her run to the Miami Open final, Pegula converted all six break points she earned in a one hour, 11-minute victory.

"Always tricky when it's the first match. But thought I played pretty well," Pegula told the media in Charleston. "I mean, it was kind of a weird match. Felt like she obviously wasn't playing that great at the beginning, but then she started playing pretty good tennis, and it got a little tricky there in the second.

"But, yeah, I'm happy that I was able to get through that second set. And, honestly, rather play a match like that than just win super easy and maybe she didn't play well and I don't feel like I had to change and problem solve throughout the match. So I'm happy I was able to figure it out."



Austin champion Pegula scored her 21st win of the year, which equals world No. 2 Iga Swiatek for second on the WTA wins list behind only world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has posted 23 victories this year.

Two-time Charleston semifinalist Pegula will play Ajla Tomljanovic in the round of 16.

Tomljanovic stopped 16th-seeded American Peyton Stearns 6-1, 6-3 in one hour, 32 minutes.

"As far as first match goes, I mean, I'm happy with the way I played," Pegula said. "And working on some different things now switching to the clay, so I thought I was able to do that today, and I think it will be a much tougher match with Ajla... So it will be tougher, I think, tomorrow. But happy with just getting a win today."

In a highly-anticipated clash, Sofia Kenin roared through the first seven games sweeping Belinda Bencic 6-0, 6-3.



The 2020 Australian Open champion Kenin deployed the drop shot effectively as she dropped the opening-set bagel on Bencic despite the fact four of the first six games went to deuce.

World No. 39 Kenin beat Olympic gold-medal champion Bencic for the second time in as many meetings. Kenin out-dueled Bencic 6-7(2), 7-6(5), 6-4 in their prior encounter in the 2019 Mallorca final.

The victory vaults Kenin into a round of 16 encounter vs. 2017 Charleston champion Daria Kasatkina.

No. 5-seeded Kasatkina crushed wild card Lauren Davis 6-1, 6-1 in the opening match on stadium court.

Russian-born Kasatkina, who is playing her first tournament representing her new nation, Australia, appropriately wore gold on court in honor of the green-and-gold.

Afterward, Kasatkina said seeing the Australian flag next to her name and hearing herself announced as representing Australia was a very moving moment.

“Well, it was difficult to keep [emotions] back because my smile was going, you know, through,” Kasatkina told the media afterward. “So, yeah. I mean, first of all, I felt it would be strange, obviously, being called player from Australia. So I couldn't handle my smile.

“And then on the warmup was the same. And, also, I've got such a warm welcome from the crowd. So I think just altogether it made this amazing mix of emotions.

“I mean, also was not easy to step on court playing the first match with the new flag, but I'm really happy how I was able to manage those nerves and get a win today.”

The pride of Charleston, Emma Navarro played with poise under pressure posting a 6-4, 6-3 win over big-serving compatriot Hailey Baptiste.

Digging in with defiance, Navarro saved 12 of 13 break points she faced and won 15 of her 25 second-serve points.

“I'd like for that number to be zero. But, yeah, just kind of kept telling myself, you know, get to 15, get to 30, get to 40, keep coming,” Navarro said of fending off so many break points. “And, yeah, at 5-3 when I went down 0-40, I was like I don't know if I can do this again, but, yeah, I ended up pulling it off.

“And, yeah, I think I never consider a game or a match over until it's really over. So just try to keep fighting.”



Hometown hero Navarro said there’s more pressure—and more pleasure—playing in front of neighbors and so many friendly faces.

“There's definitely pressure that comes with it and maybe more expectations and just a heightened desire to do really well,” Navarro said. “But at the same time it's amazing.

“I feel so lucky to be able to play a tournament in Charleston. Probably my favorite city in the world, and I get to be cheered on by a lot of hometown fans and just people that I could see here in the stands in my match or at the coffee shop by my house. So it's really cool to be home and kind of give back to them a little bit."

The US Open semifinalist faces a tough round-of-16 match against fellow American Ashlyn Krueger, who defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 7-6(4).