Keys conquers Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to reach Charleston Open semis

In a marquee match at the Credit One Charleston Open, the 2025 Australian Open champion took on the 2025 Comeback Player of the Year! Madison Keys was in search of form and confidence as her ranking dipped from a career-high of #5 to #18. The thirty-one-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 in 2024 and, upon returning to the tour last season, won two WTA 500-level events. She started the current season alongside team Switzerland as they reached the United Cup final. Played across several cities in Australia, the twenty-nine-year-old went undefeated in singles, including noteworthy wins over then world #2 Iga Swiatek and #8 Jasmine Paolini.  

Two former Charleston Open champions, each with ten career titles, stepped onto stadium court seeking their first semifinal of the season. Keys led the head-to-head 3-2, having split the two on clay, including a straight-set victory for Bencic at the 2022 Charleston Open, the year she won the title.

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Keys won the toss and chose to receive. Bencic made 5/5 first serves and held to love, while Keys gifted four unforced errors and dumped serve. Bencic faced a triple break point, double-faulted, and gave back the break. Keys opened and closed with spectacular winners to level at two.

Bencic hit two consecutive winners and held easily to 15 while Keys donated four additional errors, faced two deuce and break point yet held for 3-3. Bencic missed 3/5 first serves yet held easily to 15, while Keys, serving with new balls, struggled. She missed four consecutive first serves and faced three deuce and two break points before holding with two aces.

Bencic donated another double fault, but with her exemplary movement and timing, held to 30 for 5-4. Keys serving to stay in the set struck her third ace to save set point, but conceded it with a netted forehand.

Bencic served first in the second and faced a triple break point and three deuce points before holding, while Keys faced five deuce points before leveling with three additional aces. As her frustration grew, so did the unforced errors. Bencic committed three consecutive errors to drop serve while Keys held easily to 15 to consolidate the break for 3-1.

Bencic opened the fifth with a backhand swing volley winner, and though she faced two deuces and two break points, held for 2-3. The American struck two consecutive forehand winners and held easily to 15 for 4-2.

The Swiss serving with new balls faced a break point and deuce, but held for 3-4 with an incredible inside-in forehand. Keys opened the eighth with a monster serve up the tee and with a blistering backhand down the line pass, held to 30 for 5-3. Bencic, serving to stay in the set, donated three additional unforced errors, including her third double fault, to concede the set. Bencic took a bathroom break following the conclusion of the second set.

Keys served first in the decider and battled to hold. She gifted her first double fault to face a break point and though she faced another in addition to three deuce points, held with two consecutive forehand winners. Bencic began to unravel as the unforced errors continued to accrue. She faced a double break point and dropped serve with her fourth double fault.

Keys opened the third with her seventh ace and though she faced double break point and deuce, held with a fantastic crosscourt forehand volley to consolidate the break for 3-0. Bencic faced three deuce, a break point, and dropped serve following five additional unforced errors.

Keys opened the fifth with a winning crosscourt backhand and her eighth ace, but dropped serve with two consecutive errors, including her second double fault. Bencic donated her fifth double fault but held to 30 to consolidate the break with a backhand swing volley winner.

Keys serving with new balls opened and closed with formidable groundstrokes to hold at love for 5-2. Bencic, serving to stay in the match, opened with a marvelous crosscourt forehand winner but conceded it with her sixth double fault and a winning crosscourt forehand pass from Keys.

It was a splendid turnaround from Keys, who achieved her first top-twenty victory of the season in addition to her first semifinal. She significantly reduced the unforced errors while ramping up the aggression and serve.

She finished with eight aces, two double faults, and won 72% of first and 36% of second serve points. She was clutch on break points, saving 9/12 while converting 6/12. She was relentless when returning, winning 37% of first serve and an astounding 76% of second serve return points.

During her press conference, I asked Keys how she would assess her return game given her ability to make significant inroads on Bencic’s first and second serve. She replied, “ I think it was really important today. I think that, even with the scoreline being the way that it was, I even had a few more break point chances that I kind of set myself up for. And I think even though you don’t always convert those points, I think they just add even more pressure. And I think it kind of also gives you a little bit of confidence going into your own serve just knowing that you’re always in her service games.”

Her semifinal opponent is one she has yet to face. Yulia Starodubtseva ranked #89, took out world #53, McCartney Kessler of the United States. The twenty-six-year-old Ukrainian, on tournament debut, has dropped one set en route to her first tour-level semifinal.