Seven Americans entered in this year’s main draw

The Volvo Car Open will showcase an American icon, one of the greatest players who represents its proud past – and present: Venus Williams.
The tournament, which kicks off the clay-court season, will also feature two of the most promising players in America’s future: Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys.
Those are just three of the seven Americans entered in this year’s event, which commences with qualifying play on Saturday and first-round action on Monday.
Williams, half of the greatest sibling tennis tandem in history, heads to Daniel Island with the World No. 13 ranking. Stephens, who just turned 23 is World No. 22 while Keyes who just turned 21 is World No. 24.
Williams, a former World No. 1 and 2004 Family Circle Cup champion, will make her eighth appearance in Charleston, where she holds a 17-5 record.
In 2013, Williams made a return to the Cup’s final four, losing in the semifinal to sister and World No. 1 Serena Williams. The match marked the first time the sisters met in singles since 2009, and the first time on clay since 2002.
Williams has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the WTA three different times for a total of 11 weeks at the top.
She became the World No. 1 for the first time on February 25, 2002, becoming the first African- American woman to achieve this feat during in the open era.
She and her sister are credited as changing the women’s game and ushering a new, modern era of power and athleticism on the WTA tour.
She’s won seven grand slam singles, which is good enough for 12th on the all-time list. She is one of only five women in the open era to win 200 or more main draw Grand Slam singles matches.
Stephens will be making her sixth appearance in Charleston. She already has one title under her belt this year, winning the ASB Classic in Aukland. Last year, she won her first WTA title of her career with a win in the Citi Open in Washington.
She was a semifinalist in Strasbourg and Eastbourne, and was a quarter-finalist in Miami and Seoul. She reached the fourth round at Roland Garros.
“I love playing on clay, it’s my favorite surface,” Stephens said. “I’m excited to kick off the clay court season in Charleston again this year at the Volvo Car Open.”
Keys also is no stranger to Charleston. She’s having an impressive run in Miami, the tourney that precedes the Volvo Car Open. Keys defeated Roberta Vinci of Italy, the No. 9-ranked player in the world, in their third-round match 6-4, 6-4. The victory advanced Keys to the fourth round against Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu, ranked 35th in the world.
The other Americans in the field and their ranking include Christina McHale (56), Madison Brengle (60), Monica Puig (67), Allison Risk (86) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (87).

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