After an exhilarating few weeks in the Middle East, the WTA Tour flies back to the US for the San Diego Open set to be played from February 26 to March 3.
Home player Jessica Pegula leads the field of top names including Beatriz Haddad Maia and the Grand Slam finalist duo of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Leylah Fernandez.
Also set to make an appearance is former World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki and a host of US players led by Emma Navarro. With plenty to look forward to at the San Diego Open, here’s everything you need to know going into the week.
What is San Diego Open?
A regular feature of the WTA Tour since 1971, the San Diego Open is a WTA 500 event that has been played at Barnes Tennis Center since 2021.
The tournament became a part of the WTA 500 circuit in 2022, having previously been classified as a WTA Tier I, WTA Premier and WTA 125K series event at different points of time.
Steffi Graf has lifted the trophy on four occasions, making her the most decorated player in the tournament’s history. Other former champions include Venus Williams, Martina Hingis, Iga Swiatek and most recently Barbara Krejcikova.
Venue
The tournament is played on the hardcourts of the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego, US.
Schedule
The main draw action commences on Monday (February 26), but qualifying rounds begin a couple of days prior. The summit clash will be contested on Sunday (March 3) along with the doubles final.
Players and Draw
Top seed Jessica Pegula will open her campaign against either Varvara Gracheva or a qualifier, with the likes of Caroline Wozinacki and Dayana Yastremska looming ahead.
Also in the top half are big-hitting names such as Marta Kostyuk, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Clara Tauson — all of whom will slug it out for the second semifinal spot.
The bottom half of the draw will have Emma Navarro and Beatriz Haddad Maia battling for supremacy. While the former will have to be wary of Leylah Fernandez, the latter has an in-from Donna Vekic to worry about.
Prize Money
The winner of the San Diego Open gets $922,573. The women's singles champion is set to pocket $142,000 along with 500 ranking points. Here's a detailed breakdown of the prize money and ranking points:
Where to watch
Viewers in the USA and UK can watch the San Diego Open 2024 live on the following channels and sites:
USA: The official broadcaster in the region is Tennis Channel.
UK: Matches will be telecast on Sky UK.