American Amanada Anisimova has enjoyed a resurgent campaign, bringing a healthy 11-5 record into this year’s Charleston Open.
2025 WTA Tour
WTA 500
Charleston Open
LTP-Daniel Island, South Carolina, USA (Outdoor Clay)
Selected Round of 32 Matches- 2nd April
Amanda Anisimova (8) 0.48 vs Veronika Kudermetova 1.6
She started the season in fairly subdued fashion, withdrawing from the Hobart quarters prior to a disappointing 2nd round loss at the Aussie Open. But the aggressive baseliner then pulled off the performance of her career, setting the tone for this wild WTA 1000 season with victory in Doha (dropping just one set in the tournament). She struggled in the immediate aftermath of that nosebleed-inducing high, losing her opening matches in Dubai and Indian Wells. But she managed to stabilize in Miami, bringing Mirra Andreeva’s 13-match winning streak to an end en route to a round of 16 finish (she was absolutely annihilated by Aussie Open conqueror Emma Radacanu). Still, Anisimova should feel revitalized after winning the most important title of her career in Qatar. The hard-hitting baseliner should suit these relatively slick green clay-court surfaces. No stranger to clay, Anisimova burst onto the scene with a semifinal run at the 2019 French Open.
Former top ten player Veronika Kudermetova has endured a miserable time of it these last 18 months or so, dropping out of the top 50 due to some wildly inconsistent tennis. The big-serving Russian hasn’t reached a final since claiming the 2023 Pan Pacific Open. She started the season with some encouraging results, reaching the quarters in Hobart before an unheralded 4th round run at the Aussie Open. She couldn’t really build on that momentum, going 3-5 in her next five tour-level events. But she got her Charleston campaign off to a blistering start, massacring American Maria Mateas 6-0, 6-2. Kudermetova has an interesting Jekyll and Hyde relationship with this tournament. She has generally struggled, facing opening-round exits in two of her last four appearances. But she also picked up arguably the biggest title of her career on these very courts, claiming her maiden WTA 500 crown here back in 2021.
The Verdict: Anisimova to win in three sets at 3.1- The Russian leads the head-to-head 2-0, winning their most recent encounter in straight sets at the 2023 Adelaide Invitational. The American has wilted under the pressure of Kudermetova;s big serve in the past. Also, the Russian may feel emboldened after steamrolling her opening opponent. Anisimova has been underwhelming since Doha, struggling with the strong flat hitting of Radacanu in Miami. Still, I think she will wear down the Russian in three.
