Keys conquers Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semifinals of the Charleston Open
In a marquee match at the Credit One Charleston Open, 2025 The Australian Open champion faced 2025 Returning Player of the Year! Madison Keys was looking for form and confidence as her ranking slipped from a career high of #5 to #18. The 31-year-old from Rock Island, Illinois, had not dropped a set in the previous two rounds.
Belinda Bencic from Switzerland gave birth to her first child 2024 and, after returning to the tournament last season, won two WTA 500– level events. She started the current season with the Swiss team after they reached the final of the United Cup. Played in several cities in Australia, the twenty-nine-year-old went undefeated in singles, including significant victories at the time in the world #2 Every Swiatek and #8 Jasmine Paolini.
The two former Charleston Open champions, each with ten career titles, entered the stadium court looking for their first semifinal of the season. The Keys led head to head 3-2after splitting the two on the ground, including a straight win for Bencic in the 2022 Charleston Open, the year he won the title.
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Keys won the toss and elected to take. Bencic did 5/5 Served first and held at love as Keys served four unforced errors and dropped serve. Bencic faced a triple break point, double faulted and converted the break. The keys opened and closed with a spectacular winner on level two.
Bencic hit two winners in a row and easily held on 15 while Keys served four more errors, faced two deuces and a break point still held 3-3. Bencic lost 3/5 serves initially but is easily maintained 15while Keys, serving new balls, struggled. She lost four first serves in a row and faced three deuces and two break points before holding with two aces.
Bencic served another double fault, but with her exemplary movement and timing, it held 30 ABOUT 5-4. The keys serving to stay in the set hit her third ace to save the set point, but conceded it with a net forehand.
Bencic served first in the second and faced a triple break point and three points before holding, while Keys faced five points before leveling with three more aces. As her frustration increased, so did the unforced errors. Bencic made three straight errors to drop serve as Keys held easily 15 to consolidate the break for 3-1.
Bencic opened the fifth with a swing volley winner, and despite facing two breaks and two break points, she held for 2-3. The American hit two straight forehand winners and easily held on 15 ABOUT 4-2.
The young-serving Swiss faced a break point and deuce but held on 3-4 with a tremendous inside forehand. Keys opened the eighth with a monster serve off the tee and a blistering backhand down the line, held for her 30 ABOUT 5-3. Bencic, serving to stay in the set, served three more unforced errors, including her third double fault, to concede the set. Bencic took a bathroom break after the second set.
Keys served first in the decider and fought to hold. She served her first double fault to face a break point and though she faced another, all but three deuce points held with two straight forehand winners. Bencic began to unravel as the unforced errors continued to pile up. She faced a double break point and broke serve with her fourth double fault.
Keys opened the third with her seventh ace and despite facing double break points and deuces, she held on with a fantastic forehand cross volley to consolidate the break for 3-0. Bencic faced three goals, one break point and dropped serve after five more unforced errors.
Keys opened the fifth with a crosscourt backhand winner and her eighth ace, but dropped serve with two straight faults, including the second double fault. Bencic served her fifth double fault but held on 30 to consolidate the break with a swing volleyball winner.
Keys that serve with young balls open and close with hard ground strokes to hold them with love 5-2. Bencic, serving to stay in the match, opened with a stunning cross-hand winner but conceded it with her sixth double fault and a cross-hand winner from Keys.
It was a brilliant turnaround from Keys, who clinched her first top-20 win of the season in addition to her first semi-final. It significantly reduced unforced errors while increasing aggression and serving.
She finished with eight aces, two double faults and the win 72First % and 36% of second serve points. She was swarming at break points, sparing 9/12 during conversion 6/12. She was relentless in her comebacks, winning 37First serve % and a surprise 76% of second serve return points.
During her press conference, I asked Keys how she would rate her return game given her ability to make significant inroads on Bencic’s first and second serves. She replied: “I think it was very important today. I think even though the score was the way it was, I even had a few more break points that I prepared for. And I think even though she doesn’t always convert those points, I think they just add more pressure. And I think it gives you a little bit of confidence going into her serve every time.”
Her semi-final opponent is one she has yet to face. Julia Starodubtseva ranks #89took out the world #53McCartney Kessler from the United States. The twenty-six-year-old Ukrainian, in her tournament debut, dropped a set en route to her first tournament-level semifinal.
