The second round of WTA Charleston should be pretty entertaining for fans. The beginning of the clay season also represents something of a rebirth for players who might not have done as well as they had hoped in the hardcourt matches to open the year. Still a few months away from the French Open, WTA Charleston presents a golden opportunity for players to either kickstart their year or continue their early success. LWOS has our best bets for the opening of the second round. Share yours with us in the comments.
WTA Charleston
Kessler – Tjen: Time 16:00
H2H: 0-0
McCartney Kessler and Janice Tjen will play for the first time in their careers. Both are primarily hardcourt players and don’t have much clay experience. Kessler has played 51 total games on clay, and she’s 26-25 in those games. Tjen has played only 14 career games on clay, all in 2024.
Best Bet to Make
Tjen is the favorite in this match, and for good reason. If you’ve only lost one career game on clay, you’re going to get the nod over someone with 25 losses in 51 attempts. The thing that I’m having an issue with is the timing of those last games. Say what you will about Kessler’s career clay record, at least she’s playing in a few clay tournaments every year. Give me Kessler straight up at 2.0 on Betway.
That being said, Kessler winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/the best odds: Kessler winning @2.0 @Betway
Volynets – Shnaider: Time 01:30
H2H: 0-2
Katie Volynets and Diana Shnaider will meet for the first time since 2025. Shnaider has taken both of their prior meetings, though only last year’s at WTA Madrid was at the WTA level. While Volynets is pretty solid on clay, Shnaider is better by a pretty good margin. Shnaider has twice made the round of 16 at Charleston, while Volynets has yet to make it out of the second round.
Best Bet to Make
As one might guess, Shnaider is the dominant favorite for this match. The line for the match isn’t anything too wild, but she is a very comfortable 1.5-point favorite. Volynets also struggled to get past Eva Lys in the first round, but that’s probably not something we can hold against her. There are too many ways for Shnaider to win and not enough scenarios where Volynets can.
That being said, Shnaider winning 2:0 is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/the best odds: Shaider winning 2:0 @1.97 @1xBet
Yastremska – Bencic: Time 00:00
H2H: 1-4
Dayana Yastremska has played Belinda Bencic five times in her career, winning only once. That win came back in 2018 in the semifinals of WTA Luxembourg. The two of them have never met on a clay court, so this will be a first of some kind, and it also ought to make it more interesting. Both women have 87 career wins on clay, but Yastremska has 51 losses, and Bencic has 49. Bencic was 3-3 on clay last year, but Yastremska was 8-5.
Best Bet to Make
Belinda Bencic is a big favorite in this match, but I can’t help but feel like clay is going to be an equalizer for Yastremska. Bencic is the higher-ranked player, but there is a total of two wins separating these two on clay. If there were ever a time and a reason to take a chance on an underdog, this would be the match. On most any other day, Bencic would be an absolute lock here, but something is tugging at me on this one.
That being said, Yastremska winning is a value bet for sure.
Value bet/the best odds: Yastremska winning @4.0 @bet365
Main Photo Credit: Jay Calderon–USA TODAY Sports