Bencic: “Horrible” Aspect of My Clay Game

By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Photo credits: Jon Buckle/ROLEX

Belinda Bencic has made major successful strides on Charleston’s clay.

The 2022 Charleston champion was the 2023 tournament runner-up.

After the former Olympic gold-medal champion launched her quest for a second Charleston title with a 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3 win over dangerous Dayana Yastremska on Tuesday night, Bencic shared a befuddling aspect of the clay-court game: She can’t slide.

“I don’t know how to slide and I’m horrible at it,” Bencic told the media in Charleston.

Highly-skilled at stepping into the court and taking the ball on the rise, Bencic, who was formerly coached by Melanie Molitor, Hall of Famer Martina Hingis’ mom and original coach, said she navigates slide struggles by trying to play off the front foot.

“I don’t think I’m the best mover on clay, but I hope that my game can be aggressive enough to not need it so much,” Bencic said. “I’m still trying to improve as best as I can, but it’s still a challenge for me.”