Charleston Betting Preview: Ekaterina Alexandrova vs. Diana Shnaider

Ekaterina Alexandrova looked great in her 6-3, 6-0 win over Ann Li at the Credit One Charleston Open on Wednesday. But the 30-year-old is in for a big jump in competition as she looks to defeat world No. 14 Diana Shnaider.

Shnaider, who I mentioned as a “player to watch” before this tournament began, hasn't had the greatest start to 2025. The lefty is just 8-8 in WTA-level matches. But Shnaider did earn a 6-3, 6-2 win over Polina Kudermetova in the Round of 32, and she’s fresh off a doubles title in Miami. This might be the start of a big turnaround for the talented young ball striker, and I like the price we can get on her to beat her older countrywoman.

Alexandrova is a player that can be very dangerous, as she’s an aggressive baseliner that plays with her front foot forward and has a rock-solid serve. However, most of Alexandrova’s success has come on faster hard courts. She’s 135-100 on hard courts in her career, and that includes a 17-13 record over the last 52 weeks, plus a title run in Linz earlier this year. But Alexandrova is just 35-42 on clay in her career, and she’s 2-7 on the dirt over the last 52 weeks. Some of those losses were rather ugly, too.

As for Shnaider, the lefty is 16-5 on clay in her career, and it's easy to see why this surface helps take her game to another level. Shnaider is an absolute ball-basher, capable of pummeling shots from both wings. She has a massive forehand, a solid backhand and she can be really good about hitting her spots when she has time to set up. Well, the higher bounces on clay give her more time to get set and go big.

Shnaider should be able to dictate play in this power-on-power battle, and her ability to mix things up between heavy topspin shots and flatter missiles should make Alexandrova uncomfortable on a surface that she clearly doesn’t love.

It’s also not the worst thing in the world to have a good price on a player that won 42 matches and four titles—including one WTA-level clay-court title—last year. If this match was being played towards the end of 2024, it isn’t crazy to think that Shnaider would be a -200 favorite.

Pick: Shnaider ML (-137)