Living on Edge, Pegula Pulls Through Again in Charleston
SETS SHOWDOWN WITH JOVIC; KEYS TURNS BACK BENCIC IN THREE
Jessica Pegula is fast gaining a reputation as someone who likes to live on the edge.
For the second day in a row, the top seed and defending champion found herself down a break in the third set at the Credit One Charleston Open, this time against streaking seventh seed Diana Shnaider. But trailing 0-2 in the decider against the former N.C. State star, Pegula would reel off six unanswered games to book a return trip to the semifinals, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
“Maybe I like to put myself in tough situations,” said Pegula earlier this week. “I like to think I don’t, but the tendencies here say something else.”
It was the third straight three-set turnaround for the 32-year-old American this week. Good thing the Buffalonian has a keen sense of humor.
“It’s the only thing that keeps me alive,” laughed Pegula, who has now reached at least the semis on Daniel Island four years running. “I think I was a little bit more frustrated today after the first set, because I was just like, ‘Gosh, like, seriously? I’m going to have to win in three now after losing the first set? It’s been a little bit of a rollercoaster for me, but my sense of humor keeps me going, I guess.”
The two-time WTA 500 champion Shnaider, meanwhile, dropped to 1-13 against Top-10 competition, her lone win coming against American Coco Gauff in 2024.
Pegula’s win set up an intriguing all-American showdown with 18-year-old Californian Iva Jovic, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over eighth seed Anna Kalinskaya.
“It was tricky match, not a lot of rhythm,” said the fourth seeded Jovic. “Anna’s one of the cleanest ballstrikers, so you have to expect the crazy winners sometimes, the ups and downs. I tried to just ride the wave and impose myself when I could.”
Madison Keys
Like her “The Player’s Box” podcast co-host Pegula, 2019 tournament titlist Madison Keys needed three sets to overcome fellow former Charleston champion Belinda Bencic, into her first semifinal of 2026 thanks to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 turnaround in two hours and 22 minutes. It marked her first Top 20 win of the season, and was payback for a Round-of-16 loss on this same court during Bencic’s run to the title in 2022.
“When you’re playing someone like Belinda, it can get away from you so quickly,” said Keys, 31. “I was inspired by Jess. She just keeps staying in somehow. I kept reminding myself to keep trying to get myself in games, even if you’re down love-30, 15-40, you never know when the momentum can switch and you can sneak in a game or two.”
Next up for Keys is a virtual unknown in first-time opponent Yuliia Starodubtseva of the Ukraine. The former Old Dominion University standout advanced via a 6-4, 6-4 victory over onetime University of Florida nemesis McCartney Kessler. It was a bit of revenge for Starodubtseva, who lost just a single match in her final year at ODU — to none other than Kessler.
“I knew she would be tough. She always fights. Maybe it was a little personal, you know?” Starodubtseva laughed.
Coached by her boyfriend Pearse Dolan, the 26-year-old Starodubtseva is into her first semifinal at the tour level.
Yuliia Starodubtseva
