Check out what’s new at the COCO 2024

Daniel Island, look closely. The signs of spring are upon us. 

 

World flags perched on Palmetto trees. 

 

Kids chasing oversized tennis balls.

 

Moms and dads clutching a Jennifer Capriati Tervis cup.

 

Without a doubt, it can only mean one thing: the much-anticipated, never duplicated, 2024 Credit One Charleston Open tennis tournament is finally here.

 

A mere 50-yard walk from the only grocery store on Daniel Island, you and 89,999 friends will pack Credit One Stadium over the span of nine days– not just to sip sweet tea and people watch – but to cheer on 72 of the best women’s tennis players in the entire world.

 

Not to worry, the globe’s best athletes will also peek and people-watch you too, but their main focus will be capturing a trophy, banking $140,000, and winning the largest women’s-only tennis tournament in North America. 

 

On a green clay, slip and slide court no less.

 

So grab a ticket.

 

Whether you’re a COCO first timer or a tennis groupie still calling it the Family Circle Cup, we’ve got a few extra reasons why you might want to skip work because of tennis spring fever. 

 

Comfy Seating 

Bye-bye metal bleachers - at least some of them. 

 

With Credit One’s recent overhaul, you may have already enjoyed sitting in the chair-back seating installed inside the big concert arena known as Stadium Court. 

 

Bob Moran, the longtime tournament director, says Credit One now has even more cushy seats, as two other featured tennis courts have been recently outfitted.

 

“When you come on site, you’ll see three courts, Stadium Court, Althea Gibson Court and Court 3, now all with chair-back seating,” he said. “They look and feel like little mini stadiums that we built on site.” 

 

More Music, Less Walk

No longer will you have to walk some 200 hundred yards into the heart of the tennis campus to hear live music once your ticket is beeped.

 

“We are adding new music, and adding two stages. One as people come through the front gate, and two, on our deck,” Moran said.

 

Moran says once your feet are inside the concourse, live people singing live music will welcome fans at the First Serve Plaza, with a second set of singers and music just a bit further down the sidewalk when you arrive at the Oaks Music Deck.

 

Zoning Out

It’s spring break for many Lowcountry school-aged children during the heart of this year’s tournament.

 

Typically, the popular Kids Zone of activities wraps up after the two-day opening weekend.

 

Moran says not this year.

 

“We do know it’s a holiday week with Easter, so we’ve extended our Kids Zone. Not just for the opening weekend,” he said, “but we’ve extended that all the way through the week. We are really trying to provide parents and kids a place to come.” 

Jumpy castles, as many as four of them, will also stay blown up past the opening Sunday until the final Friday of the tournament. 

 

Parents, schedule lunch accordingly.

 

Hot food and COCO

 

Speaking of lunch, Moran said more yummy dining options will be served up in addition to the normal staples of food vendors, trucks, concessions and cocktail pit stops. 

 

A new smattering of restaurant food options will be lined up on the first ever COCO Row. 

 

Rubbing Tennis Elbows

It is your chance to rub elbows with some tennis greats.

 

Three new faces are tapped as tournament ambassadors and will join former Grand Slam champion Tracy Austin and others this year as special hosts for the week-long tournament. 

 

The tournament ambassadors will lead special events throughout the week, interview tennis players live, and will “meet and greet” fans for chats and autographs.

 

The new ambassadors include former Olympic gold medalist Monica Puig, 2021 Australian Open finalist Jennifer Brady, and three-time WTA champion Alison Riske – who has a direct connection with the Holy City.

 

“Allie Riske is a great story because she was a former Top 20 player,” Moran said. “She and her husband loved Charleston so much, they moved here!”

 

In a Pickle

The sport of tennis will be the main draw, as it is every tournament, but this year Moran encourages you to also have a side hustle.

 

Pickleball and the racquetball-tennis mash-up called padel will both be available for spectators to step on a court and give ‘em a swing.

 

While pickleball has picked up in popularity, padel may be the new gamechanger. So much so, Moran said they’ve installed the first padel court in Charleston in anticipation of the new craze.  

 

Get Your Hub Apps

Moran says downloading the Credit One Stadium Mobile App has been a go-to guide for the daily events, practices, matches and happenings while walking inside the stadium.

 

Now, he encourages fans who want to do a bit of prior planning to check out the new Fan Hub page located within the tournament’s website.

 

Moran says the Fan Hub is an interactive section taking you on a deep dive into all the food, beverage and dining options, as well as the daily entertainment activities and schedule of matches.

 

Parking tips (finger-wagging, not at the Publix lot), tournament policies and even a bit of advice when to move or not move, breathe or not breathe, during live tennis action is also packed within the Fan Hub.

 

What else is new?

Finally, Moran recommends doing something a bit out of the ordinary that may be new to some fans. 

 

“You asked me what people can do that they haven’t done before? Watch practice. It’s fun!,” he said.

 

Amid the music, food, and frivolity, Moran said some fans may not necessarily take full advantage of watching the pros tune up for their next opponent.

 

“The players are a bit more relaxed (at practice). We are really building facilities this year so people can have a place to go watch,” he said. “We will be putting our top players on those practice courts every day.”

 

Moran also recommends catching the qualifying matches on opening weekend and supporting the tennis hopefuls who look to make it into the tourney’s main draw.

 

He says the world’s best players are not to be taken for granted.

 

“It’s a great weekend to enjoy the experience we put on here, but boy, it’s a great experience to watch these players really try to earn a berth into the main draw,” he said. 

 

“I say this every day, the 100th best person at what they do in the world, is really, really good at what they do.”