Meet the top 5 seeds in VCO player field
The top players in the world roll onto Daniel Island starting this weekend to compete for the moniker of Volvo Car Open champion. The players will be coming off two large hardcourt tournaments – Indian Wells and the Miami Open – to compete in the first clay tournament of the season.
SLOANE STEPHENS – TOP SEED
American Sloane Stephens, the winner of the first Volvo Car Open in 2016, enters this year’s tournament as the top seed. Currently ranked world No. 6, she dropped two spots in the rankings after her dismal outing in Indian Wells earlier this month, where she lost to a qualifier in the round of 64.
Stephens was also knocked out early in Miami, losing in the round of 32 to Tatjana Maria in straight sets. So far in 2019, she’s failed to make it past the round of 16 at any event.
In order to play deep into the tournament, Stephens will have to bring her game up a few notches to be in line with her successful 2018 season, when she made four finals, including the French Open, and won the Miami Open. Clay is Stephen’s favorite surface, which improves her overall chances at Charleston.
KIKI BERTENS – NO. 2 SEED
Kiki Bertens is the tournament’s defending champion and No. 2 seed. A native of the Netherlands, Bertens had her best year in 2018. In addition to winning at Charleston, she won titles at Cincinnati and Seoul. She finished 2018 with her first top-10 season.
Of late, Bertens has had mixed success. With the current rankings released after Indian Wells, she dropped in world rank from No. 7 to No. 8. She won the St. Petersburg title in January and made the semi-finals at Sydney the same month, but lost in the round of 64 at the Australian Open.
She lost on Monday in the round of 16 at Miami in three sets to Ashleigh Barty, who is the fourth seed here at Charleston.
ARYNA SABALENKA – NO. 3 SEED
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is currently ranked world No. 9. Sabalenka is off to a great start to the season. She won her first tournament, defeating Maria Sharapova along the way at the Shenzhen Open. Prior to a round 64 exit at this week’s Miami Open, Sabalenka played well, making it to at least the round of 16 in her last three last tournaments. Plus, she won both of her Fed Cup matches against Germany.
ASHLEIGH BARTY – NO. 4 SEED
Standing at only 5’5”, Ashleigh Barty is a tiny powerhouse from Australia. Barty has played well and improved her world No. 12 ranking to No. 11 after Indian Wells, where she lost in the round of 16.
As of Tuesday, Barty was still alive at the Miami Open. She upset Bertens in three sets to advance to the quarterfinals against world No. 2 Petra Kvitova and dominated her fellow Aussie, Samantha Stosur, in an earlier round.
ANASTASIJA SEVASTOVA –
NO. 5 SEED
The 28-year-old Latvian Anastasija Sevastova has put together two top-20 seasons in a row, finishing the year ranked No. 16 in 2017 and No. 12 in 2018. Currently ranked No. 12, Sevastova has not made it past the round of 32 in her last four tournaments, including Miami.
THE REST OF THE TOP TEN
Rounding out the top eight seeds are: Caroline Wozniacki – 6th seed, world No. 13; Elise Mertens – 7th seed, world No. 14; and Julia Goerges – 8th seed – world No. 15.
The 9th and 10th seeds are Madison Keys, world No. 16, and Belinda Bencic, world No. 20.