The Credit One Charleston Open main draw action started on Monday, with some good match-ups to follow from the start of the biggest only-women's tournament in the calendar. The day started with an intriguing clash between Linda Fruhvirtova and Jil Teichmann. The pre-match odds were expecting the Swiss as a favorite with an average odd 1.53, but the Czech youngster was never to write-off, as the 17 years-old Fruhvirtova was already capable to make some upsets on highly rated opponents in this season. The same happened this time, as the world's number 60 clinched the opening set 6-2 after really erratic start of her opponent. Teichmann was not able to calibrate her serving performance, having only 39% first serve accuracy, winning just 9 out of 28 service points and losing all of her service games in first set.
Second set was a different story there, as the Swiss has finally regrouped herself, serving with more confidence and putting the pressure on her younger opponent. She was leading 4-1 with double break and despite being broken once in 6th game, moved the match into a distance with winning second set 6-3. The decisive set brough another turnover, as the young Czech raised up her level again, crushing Teichmann with the impressive perfomance and taking the lead 4-0. The Swiss was trying to make up the gap, but it was quite to late. Fruhvirtova crossed the finish line with a score 6-2 3-6 6-2, making the first seed's upset in the tournament.
One of the tournament's highlights which the fans were waiting for was definitely a comeback of Elina Svitolina, after the one year absence due to giving a birth to her daughter. The Ukrainian had a tough challenge for the start, as she was facing Yulia Putintseva in the best clash of all Monday's action on Charleston. The Kazakh was obviously a pre-match favorite, with an odd 1.33, but the former world's number 3 showed that she has never forgotten how to play tennis on the highest level. Svitolina took the break advantage twice, leading 2-1 and 4-3, but Putintseva broke back in both situations, having even a chance to clinch the set in 10th while having a breakpoint on Svitolina's serve. The Ukrainian saved it and the set was settled in tie-break, where Svitolina turned out to be better, winning it 7-3. The opening set was a super intense battle, as it took 74 minutes. Svitolina did not keep the level of intensity in second set, as she was down from the start and lost it 2-6. Despite the score, almost all games were long battles decided on deuces, but Putintseva occured to be better in this phase and forced the decider. Third set was no less tight battle, as both players shared 4 breaks between them to approach the decisive games on level score. The crucial one was 9th game, when Putintseva broke her opponent for the 3rd time in the set, and served for the victory a while later, moving into next round with a score 6-7(3) 6-2 6-4.
Apart from those two clashes, the opening day in Charleston brought some other interesting settlements as well. Anna Kalinskaya eliminated the 11th seed Anhelina Kalinina in two sets, winning 7-6(6) 6-4. The opening set was a highlight, as the Russian came back from being 0-3 down with a double break gap. Kalinina had two chances to serve out this set within the scores *5-4 and *6-5, but lost both games quite easily. Kalinskaya clinched the tight tiebreak with a score 8-6 and controlled the match in second set, moving into next round, where she faces Alize Cornet. The French gave no chance to wild card receiver Fiona Crawley, winning 6-0 6-2.
Katerina Sebov advanced to the main draw after winning her qualifying matches and managed to made an upset on Lauren Davis. The American won the first set 6-4, but Sebov dominated two following ones 6-1 and 6-2, earning the precious victory. The Canadian will have a super challenging task in second round while playing against tournament's seed #4 - Belinda Bencic. Julia Grabher is another player to upset the seed on Monday. The Austrian defeated Shuai Zhang, seeded with #10, winning 6-4 1-6 6-3. It's a really miserable time for the Chinese, as it was her 6th lose in a row.
