Americans Keys, Collins and Anisimova book Charleston Round of 16 spots

Three Americans were the first players to reach the WTA 500 Credit One Charleston Open Round of 16, with Madison Keys, Amanda Anisimova and defending champion Danielle Collins all booking third-round spots on Tuesday evening.

Charleston: Draws | Scores | Order of play

No. 2 seed Keys had the trickiest path of the three into the Round of 16. The reigning Australian Open champion needed eight match points before she could close out her fellow American Caroline Dolehide 6-3, 7-6(4).

Keys held her first four match points while up a set and a break at 6-3, 5-4. However, Dolehide erased those chances, and two more in the following game, battling back to level footing in the second set of the power-hitting clash.

Currently ranked a career-high World No. 5, Keys needed to hold firm in the tiebreak before she at last defeated her compatriot, earning her 20th match-win of the year.

"I think [Dolehide] started playing some of her best tennis at the end, and I think I got a little bit passive, and then all of a sudden, seven match points later..." Keys trailed off, shaking her head in her on-court interview. "The drama is escalating, and everyone just kinda wants to go home.

"But I got it done, and I get to come back out and play another match here."

The stage is still set for Keys to pick up her second Charleston title. She won the event in 2019, defeating Caroline Wozniacki to capture her first clay-court title, in a city where she has the best vibes.

"I’ve been coming here for more than the last decade, I love it here," Keys said. "[Bjorn Fratangelo and I] got married here, I always feel like this is one of my favorite places in the entire world, and I’m so happy to be back playing here."

Defending champ cruises: No. 7 seed Collins followed on Credit One Stadium, and she kicked off her title defense by besting fellow American Robin Montgomery 6-3, 6-1 in 1 hour and 9 minutes. Collins collected her seventh straight victory in Charleston.

Collins' title run last year was the middle of a 15-match winning streak on tour, which pushed her back into the Top 10 before the year was through. Collins won her first WTA 500 title here last year -- one week after she won her first WTA 1000 title at the 2024 Miami Open.

The determination to keep her Charleston streak going was evident from Collins on Tuesday, as she powered past 20-year-old Montgomery. Collins won 80 percent of her first-serve points and denied World No. 105 Montgomery any break points all evening.

"I’m most happy with my mindset, and just being relentless," Collins said on court, after her win. "Going after my shots, not getting too down on myself after mistakes, and just giving myself room to breathe."

Anisimova advances: The night on Credit One Stadium ended with No. 8 seed Anisimova's 6-2, 6-2 victory over the 2021 Charleston champion, Veronika Kudermetova. Anisimova was 0-2 against Kudermetova coming into Tuesday's match, but she finally got her first win over the former Top 10 player.

"It’s always nice to be back, the first clay tournament of the year," Anisimova said on court after her victory. "Veronika’s a tough opponent, so I’m happy to be into the next round."

Anisimova reached the semifinals here in 2022, which is her top showing at any WTA 500 event. She will hope to better that this week, during a stretch where she is arguably playing her career-best tennis. She won her biggest career title at WTA 1000 Doha in February, and yesterday she set a new career-high ranking of No. 16.