“She was beating me with my own pace”: Madison Keys adjusts to beat Bencic in Charleston

Madison Keys delivered her most convincing run of the 2026 season so far at the Charleston Open, reaching the semifinals after coming from a set down to defeat Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The American, currently ranked No. 18 in the WTA standings, adjusted her approach after a difficult opening set and gradually took control of the match.

It marks her first semifinal appearance of the season, a notable step after a relatively quiet start to 2026 in terms of deep runs. While she has remained inside the Top 20, results had not fully translated into consistency across tournaments, making this week in Charleston an important reference point ahead of the clay swing.

Her path to the last four had been controlled up to that point. Keys moved past Donna Vekic and Anna Bondar in straight sets, showing solid baseline control on the green clay before facing a tougher test against Bencic, a former champion at this event and a player comfortable absorbing pace.

That context made the comeback more significant, particularly given how the match began. After struggling to impose her game early on, Keys gradually found solutions, both tactically and mentally, to shift the balance in her favour.

The key to the turnaround came from a change in how Keys approached the rallies. In the first set, she tried to dictate quickly, but that approach played directly into Bencic’s strengths, allowing the Swiss to redirect pace and control exchanges from the baseline.

Keys recognised the pattern early in the second set and adjusted by taking a step back, choosing her moments more carefully and building points with more patience. “I think it was about having better tactics," the former Australian Open champion said. "In the first set, I was trying to hit through her too quickly, and she was beating me with my own pace. So I decided to back off a little and be smarter about when I was injecting pace. It helped me build the point better and get ahead in rallies.”

Beyond the technical shift, Keys stayed engaged throughout, even in tight games where momentum could have slipped away. That consistency proved important as the match moved into a more physical and tactical phase.

“Today especially, when you’re playing someone like Belinda, it can get away from you quickly. I kept reminding myself to keep getting into games. Even if you’re down love-30 or 15-40, you never know when momentum can switch and you can sneak a game or two.”

Keys also pointed to her discipline as a decisive factor, particularly in the closing stages where she avoided overplaying and stuck to the patterns that had brought her back into the match.

Her shot selection became more measured, especially against Bencic’s attempts to move forward and shorten points. Instead of forcing winners, she focused on constructing the right openings. “It was mostly relief. She was coming to the net, and I knew I had to hit a good enough shot to get it past her. But I was also really happy with my discipline and just trying to play the right way.”

That balance between aggression and control has not always been consistent in her game, but in Charleston it has been more evident. It also reflects a slightly more structured approach to matches compared to earlier in the season.

“I personally like to focus on my strengths. But sometimes it’s about understanding how your strengths can hurt your opponent in a specific matchup. I prefer focusing on myself because it’s the only thing I can control.”