Charleston, Apr 1 (IANS): Former world No.1 and 2018 Australian Open winner Caroline Wozniacki made a winning return to Charleston Open, dispatching American lucky loser McCartney Kessler 6-0, 6-1 in just 61 minutes.
The result was Wozniacki's first win on clay courts since her most recent appearance in Charleston in 2019, when she reached the third of her three finals to date.
Wozniacki, who was runner-up in 2019 in her most recent appearance in Lowcountry, stepped away from tennis in early 2020 before returning to the game mid-2023.
In the second round, Wozniacki will now play against No.15 seed Anhelina Kalinina, against whom she failed to close out the Ukrainian from match point up at the same stage of Miami, with Kalinina going on to win the fourth-longest tour-level match of the year so far 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.
Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova of the United States joined Wozniacki in the second round. In a clash between former Charleston semifinalists, Anisimova defeated Alize Cornet of France 6-3, 6-0 in 1 hour and 25 minutes on Monday.
Anisimova will now face her fellow American and No.1 seed Jessica Pegula in a marquee second round.
Later in the evening, the 22-year-old American qualifier American qualifier Katie Volynets saved two match points before closing out 54th-ranked Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands 6-2, 6-7(6-8), 7-6(8-6).
It was the new longest WTA tour match of the season with 3 hours and 43 minutes running time. The match lasted one minute longer than the previous longest match of this year, which was Beatriz Haddad Maia's 3-hour and 42-minute victory over Magda Linette in the Abu Dhabi second round.
Volynets will now take on a fellow American in the second round Emma Navarro, the No.10 seed.
Home hope Shelby Rogers opened the night session with a 6-1, 6-1 decisive win over fellow American Claire Liu.
Other winners Monday included Magda Linette and Daria Saville in singles, while Madison Keys and Taylor Townsend teamed up for a doubles win over the No.3 seeds Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi 6-1, 2-6, 10-7.