'Open' Observations!
The Volvo Car Open players have been spotted out enjoying the Holy City during their tournament experience this week. Members of The Daniel Island News staff have been busy checking social media and other sources for the latest news on all things VCO! Check out the list below for a few of their “Open Observations.”
• Darija Jurak (Croatia) and Misaki Doi (Japan) stopped in at the MUSC Children’s Hospital on Monday to spend time visiting with patients and signing autographs.
• An idea pitched by Daniel Island’s very own Steve Ferber, of Sideline Sports, has been implemented at this year’s Volvo Car Open! New “Match Score Mania” cards will be distributed to the first 1000 or 1500 people who come through the gate for each of the day and night sessions. If the score on your card matches the final score of the last singles match of the session, you’ll win a discount or giveaway from one of the VCO vendors!
• Former women’s pro player Lindsey Davenport, who is serving as a VCO commentator for the Tennis Channel this week in Charleston, was spotted in Blondie’s on Daniel Island grabbing breakfast Monday morning.
• Olympic gold medalists Monica Puig (Puerto Rico) and Elena Vesnina (Russia) are both in Charleston this week taking part in the VCO.
• Madison Keys (USA) doesn’t like the ocean. At Monday’s All-Access Media Hour she told reporters her dislike of the vast open sea stems from the fact that “there are things that can eat you! I’d rather not be in there.”
• Laura Siegemund (Germany) spent time preparing for her match on Monday by practicing at the tennis courts at Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms.
• Elena Vesnina (Russia) and Daria Gavrilova (Australia) took part in an iconic photo shoot in front of Randolph Hall at the College of Charleston campus over the weekend.
• There was a well-mannered furry friend on the scene at the VCO All-Access Media Hour on Monday. Venus Williams (USA) brought along her pup “Harry Williams” to enjoy the session!
• The girls’ tennis teams for Bishop England High School and Ashley Hall were among those invited to take part in a special session with VCO players on Monday. The girls enjoyed a seminar entitled “Maximizing Your Future Tennis” featuring several guest speakers and WTA players.
• VCO player Lauren Davis (USA) is joined this week at the tournament by her father, Dr. William Davis, a gluten-free diet guru and author of the book “The Wheat Belly.”
• Former World No. 8 and two-time Davis Cup champion Mark Philippoussis, who took to the courts with Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and James Blake last Saturday night for the VCO’s PowerShares event, was once a bachelor contestant on “Age of Love,” an NBC dating show that aired in the summer of 2007.
• Ticket holders for the “Doubles and Bubbles” luncheon on Tuesday had an opportunity to sip Chandon’s prestigious “étoile Tête de Cuvée” champagne with Chandon’s own Michael Stedman and VCO players and Grand Slam doubles champions Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) and Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic).
• Family Circle Tennis Center-based MWTennis is much more than a sponsor at this year’s VCO. Cameron Morra played in the qualifying round, dropping her match to Sesil Karatantchvea. And, two MWTennis players served as hitting partners for some of the top players. Chad Nash hit with Olympic Champion Monica Puig, Taylor Townsend, Annika Beck, and former Charleston champion Andrea Petkovic. Reilly Wilson hit with former Charleston champion Samantha Stosur, Elena Vesnina, Daria Gavrilova and Kristina Kucova.