2nd day of Charleston Open wraps up

DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – The Charleston Open is in full swing and Sunday, News 2 spoke with the tournament’s director about how the event is going so far.

The Credit One Charleston Open is celebrating 50 years of tennis in its new venue.

“This has been a special year because the tournament itself is a year-long planning process for us,” tournament director Bob Moran said. “We’ll start the week after the tournament, wrapping things up and start planning for the following year, but add in this year the construction project of this new renovation that we just completed. It took a lot to get to the point we are today.”

Moran says the stadium has several new amenities, all meant to improve the fan experience.

“I really want them to walk away feeling like they had a best-in-class experience,” he said. “Be it tennis or music, we work really hard on what the place looks like and feels like and it’s important to us all the way around.”

Fans seem to approve of the upgrades.

“It’s pretty cool,” tennis fan Baylor Rollins said. “They did a really good job redesigning it and stuff.”

And they seem to approve of the tennis matches so far as well.

“I’ve never really been up close for tennis,” Rollins said. “I’ve seen it on TV, but it’s kind of cool watching them hit the ball right there in front of you.”

The tournament’s kick-off weekend included a court dedication for Althea Gibson Saturday, and a Pro-Am to benefit Ukrainian relief efforts Sunday.

“We’re a global sport,” Moran said. “The WTA and women’s tennis, we have players from all over the world, including Ukraine.”

The Pro-Am had 24 amateur participants and 8 pros, including one from Ukraine.

“We raised $100,000 for Ukrainian relief today,” Moran said “It was a great experience, I think all of our amateurs had a ball, but all the pros we’re really smiling, having a good time, especially knowing that it goes to a great cause like the relief effort over in Ukraine.”

Moran says the Charleston Open is off to a great start and he looks forward to a competitive week of tennis.

“The whole team here feels a responsibility to continue to build this event,” he said. “And the responsibility to grow the event. So, it’s special to be a part of that.”

Moran says it takes more than 700 volunteers and contracted workers to make the Charleston Open come together.