What Is 2019 LTP Charleston Pro Tennis II

Overview

The 2019 LTP Charleston Pro Tennis II was a significant stop on the ITF Women’s World Tennis Tour, attracting rising stars and seasoned professionals aiming to gain ranking points and momentum. Hosted at the state-of-the-art LTP Tennis Academy, the event served as a key warm-up for the clay-court season leading into the French Open.

With a total prize purse of $60,000, the tournament featured a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw, drawing competitors from over 20 countries. Played on the distinctive green clay surface, the week-long competition provided high-level match play in a competitive, professional environment.

• April 15–21, 2019 marks the official dates of the tournament, held during the second week of April as part of the early clay-court swing.
• The event was classified as a ITF $60K tournament, one of the highest tiers on the ITF Women’s Circuit at the time.
• Located at the LTP Tennis Academy in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, the venue is known for its 18 Har-Tru courts and player development programs.
• The tournament surface was green clay (Har-Tru), which slows ball speed and increases bounce, favoring baseline players.
• Caty McNally, an American rising star, won the singles title, defeating Kamilla Rakhimova of Russia in the final in three sets.

How It Works

The tournament followed a standard ITF competition format, with qualifying rounds preceding the main draw and a knockout structure throughout. Players earned WTA ranking points based on their performance, with the champion receiving 90 points.

• Singles Draw: A 32-player main draw included 4 wild cards and 4 qualifiers. The winner earned $10,800 in prize money.
• Doubles Draw: A 16-team draw awarded the champions $3,300 combined, with play following best-of-three tiebreak sets.
• Qualifying Rounds: Held over two days, 16 players competed for four spots in the main singles draw.
• Seeding: The top eight players were seeded, including McNally as the No. 2 seed and Whitney Osuigwe as No. 1.
• Match Format: All matches used best-of-three sets with a 10-point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set in doubles.
• WTA Points: The champion received 90 ranking points, while the finalist earned 60, helping players improve their global standings.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 2019 LTP Charleston Pro Tennis II compared to similar events in the same year:

This comparison highlights the importance of surface and location in player preparation. The Charleston event stood out for its high-level competition on green clay, a surface less common outside the U.S., making it a unique training ground for clay-court specialists.

Why It Matters

The 2019 LTP Charleston Pro Tennis II played a vital role in player development and the broader tennis ecosystem, particularly for American athletes building their careers on the ITF circuit.

• Provided crucial ranking points for players aiming to qualify for Grand Slam main draws or gain direct entry into WTA events.
• Offered American prospects like Caty McNally a chance to compete at home with strong local support and media attention.
• Helped the LTP Academy establish itself as a premier training and competition venue on the U.S. tennis circuit.
• Contributed to the growth of women’s tennis in the U.S. by offering a high-tier domestic event on clay, a rare surface for American tournaments.
• Supported player development by providing a professional environment with ITF-sanctioned officiating, medical, and media services.
• Acted as a springboard—McNally used her title run to boost her ranking and later compete in WTA main draws and Grand Slam events.

Overall, the tournament exemplified how regional ITF events serve as critical stepping stones in the professional tennis pipeline, bridging the gap between junior success and the top-tier tour.