Keys Beats Bencic for First SF of Year in Charleston

By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, April 3, 2026
Photo credit: Charleston Tennis LLC

Madison Keys stepped inside the baseline and torched a forehand that dislodged a clump of clay when it crashed into court.

Keys dive-bombed drives near the lines to land her first semifinal of the season in Charleston.

In a clash of former Charleston champions, Keys beat Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to charge into the Credit One Championships Charleston Open semifinals.

The 2019 Charleston champion Keys advanced to her first semifinal since Queen’s Club last June. Keys will be the favorite in Saturday’s semifinals against either 53rd-ranked American McCartney Kessler or 89th-ranked Ukrainian Yuliia Starodubtseva. Keys has done it without husband and coach Bjorn Fratangelo, who is on assignment, in the coaching box.

“Old school, by yourself on court, no coaching, kind of nice,” Keys joked to Tennis Channel afterward, noting she still reviews the daily game-plan with her husband and coach via phone.

Today, Keys channeled her power with patience, picked the right time to detonate drives down the line and played off the front foot with confidence in the final set. Keys cranked eight aces against two double faults and fought off nine of 12 break points.

“I think the first set I was kind of trying to hit through her a little too quickly, she was beating me with my own pace,” Keys told Tennis Channel’s Steve Weissman. “I think I’m always trying [compete with energy] today especially you know when you’re playing some like Belinda it can get away from you so quickly.

“I kept reminding myself to keep trying to get myself in games even when you’re down Love-40 or 15-30 you never know when things can change. I was very happy with my discipline today and just trying to play the right way.”

It was Keys’ fourth win in six meetings vs. Bencic.

The pair traded breaks in the second and third game then Bencic ratcheted up the pressure in the 10th game.

Timing her returns beautifully, Bencic mixed drive and chipped returns to draw a couple of netted replies and earned double set point.

On the second set point, the Swiss again played a low ball to the Keys forehand. Keys slapped her 14th unforced error of the set into net and Bencic had the one-set lead.

The former Olympic gold-medal champion fought off three break points, fighting back from Love-40 down in an eight-minute hold to start the second set.

Dialing in her backhand crosscourt and continuing to hammer away with her forehand, Keys charged through a strong hold at 15—her third straight game—for 3-1.

Showing more patience in rallies, Keys was running right when she zipped a backhand pass down the line holding for 5-3.

Unleashing a rocket return down the line brought Keys triple break/set point in the ninth game. 

On the first set point, Bencic double-faulted off the tape as Keys snatched the second set, 6-3, to force a decider.

After about a seven-and-a-half minute Bencic bathroom break, play resumed with Keys facing immediate pressure down Love-30.

Keys relied on her heavy forehand and some angled keys serves to save two break points and post a hard-fought hold to start the final set.

In contrast to Keys, who possesses all of the serve spins, Bencic is basically a slice server. Facing double break point, the Swiss probably would have been wise to try to slice her second serve into the body, instead Bencic sent it long ceding the break and a 2-0 lead to Keys.

Though Keys’ combustible power is a the engine that drives her game, she showed fine touch today and worked sharper angles as well. Keys carved a backhand drop shot that helped her break again for 4-0.

Lashing a backhand strike down the line, Keys held at love for 5-2 yelling “come on!” in celebration.

On her first match point, Keys curled a crosscourt forehand pass to close in two hours, 22 minutes.

Continuing her quest for an 11th career title, Keys is playing for a third career clay-court championship.