Picture this: Tennis stars return to Daniel Island
Remnants of Madison Keys’ success from the 2019 Volvo Car Open still remain.
The American tennis player won the Volvo Car Open in 2019, but couldn’t defend her crown this year because the coronavirus pandemic wiped out sports. But she’s back on Daniel Island for the Credit One Bank Invitational, a non-WTA event that commenced Tuesday and concludes with a day of doubles on Super Sunday.
Like past champs, Keys’ likeness stands bigger than life on a massive poster that is attached to the side of Billie Jean King Stadium.
“Hey Maddie, do you know your picture is still on that stadium?” Tournament Director Bob Moran asked during a virtual press conference to promote the event. “I left it up there just for you.”
“I hate that,” laughed Keys, who is captain of Team Kindness.
Fellow American Bethanie Mattek-Sands, captain of Team Peace, is well aware of the poster. The way she talked, anyone who lives East of Cooper can see it.
“The one you can see four miles, three bridges away?” Mattek-Sands asked with body and hand gestures suggesting she was taking pictures of the poster with an invisible camera.
Both players brought their sense of humor to the press conference and promised to bring their A-game to the event, which will be televised in its entirety on the Tennis Channel, allowing fans to tune in for some live action for singles and doubles competition. Fans It is an event played without fans
The tournament provides an opportunity for some of the best women’s tennis players a chance to refocus and refine, and the field has Grand Slam potential. Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin is one of the 14 players in town, along with Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka, Amanda Anisimova, Monica Puig, Ajla Tomljanovic,
Caroline Dolehide Danielle Collins, Alison Riske, Genie Bouchard, Jennifer Brady, Leylah Fernandez, Emma Navarro and Shelby Rogers.
Navarro and Rogers are no strangers to the green clay courts of Daniel Island with Volvo Car Open experience on their resumes.
Part of the proceeds will go to the Medical University of South Carolina, which will oversee health and safety protocols during the entire tournament.
Players will also divvy up part of the proceeds as they will receive their first paycheck in about three months.
Keys and Mattek-Sands are more than ready to get back to work and face high-quality competition.
“It’s really difficult to keep practicing when you don’t really have a goal in mind,” Keys said. “So being able to have some of these tournaments back on the calendar has been really great, even (if it is) just for my mentality, just because I know I’m working for something.
“I mean, I’ve been pretty busy at home,” she continued. “But now that I’ve been home for a few months, as much as I love it, I’m super stoked to get back on the road.”