CHARLESTON, S.C. — That’s 4 Charleston semifinals for Madison Keys! In a battle of past Lowcountry champions, Keys rallied to defeat 2022 champion Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a breezy, sunny day at Stadium Court.
Charleston: Scores | Draws | Order of play
Keys is into her first WTA Driven by Mercedes-Benz semifinal of the season and improves to 4-2 towards the Swiss. She returns to the semifinals right here for the primary time since her title run in 2019 and can subsequent face Yuliia Starodubtseva. The win over Bencic was Keys’ first high 20 win of 2026.
“I feel like I kind of had some opportunities in the first set, but I’m really happy that I didn’t get too down on myself and was able to kind of recover quickly, and overall I think I played pretty solid second and third set,” Keys mentioned to press.
Drop pictures weren’t a typical incidence Friday as each gamers tried to outhit each other. Thursday, Bencic had mentioned she’d reasonably play Keys on clay court docket as a result of the American’s energy, which definitely displayed Friday afternoon, however it could be Keys’ bounce again within the closing two units that secured the win. Mostably, Keys had 41 winners to Bencic’s 18.
How the match performed out:
Set 1: Bencic opened the match with a fast maintain, and on Keys’ first service sport, the Swiss scored the early break. Keys attemped a drop shot to the fitting aspect, however appeared to misjudge Bencic’s distance from the place the ball would land, inflicting her to hit the ball awkwardly out.
Keys, utilizing her well-known energy forehand that Bencic could not attain, bought the break again at love. She then hit on one other forehand with the assistance of a web twine within the penultimate shot to degree at 2-2.
Trading holds for the following 5 video games, Bencic hit a robust return off Keys’ second serve, and Keys may solely muster a forehand into the online as the primary set went to the Swiss, who solely had 5 winners, however restricted herself to simply six unforced errors to Keys’ 14 within the set.
Set 2: The American had a primary alternative with triple break level, however three unforced errors squandered that and Bencic held. But Keys went on a tear, successful 12 of the following 14 factors to take a 3-1 lead because the set began the frustrate Bencic. Though holding at 3-2, Bencic trailed 30-40, and her frustration amounted as she hit her racquet into the inexperienced clay.
Keys relied on 14 winners within the second set, limiting herself to simply eight unforced errors, because the American compelled a decider.
“I think that, even with the score line being the way that it was, I even had a few more break point chances that I kind of set myself up for,” Keys mentioned. “I believe although you do not all the time convert these factors, I believe they simply add much more stress. I believe it type of additionally provides you a little bit little bit of confidence going into your personal serve simply figuring out that you simply’re all the time in her service video games as nicely.
Set 3: It solely appeared inevitable that Bencic was going to take a rest room break within the changeover in between units to regroup as at this level, it was basically a brand new match at one set apiece.
But it could be Keys who would come within the clutch to begin the third set. The Swiss had two break level possibilities within the opening sport with Keys annoyed after she had missed a straightforward drop shot on the web. Still, the American held within the deuce, and following a break of her personal, Keys had to save two extra break factors, capped off by her level of the match to take 3-0 lead.
Keys had success coming to the online at occasions. It wasn’t frequent, however when she did, it often labored. Leading ad-40, Keys got here to the online, and skim Bencic’s backhand down-the-line try completely, and took benefit of the open area. Keys’ lead blossomed into 4-0, and although Bencic bought one of many breaks again, a cross court docket forehand winner by Keys on match level sealed the deal.
