Yuliia Starodubtseva rewrote the script in Charleston, dismantling Madison Keys to reach the first WTA final of her career, while Jessica Pegula survived a turbulent three-set battle against Iva Jovic to keep her title defence alive.
On green clay, the two semi-finals told different stories — one defined by control from the outset, the other by repeated swings in momentum — yet both underlined the same theme: second serves remain the pressure point when matches tighten.
Starodubtseva overwhelms Keys to seize breakthrough
This was not supposed to unfold so quickly. Yet from the opening exchanges, Starodubtseva took command of the match by exposing the fragility in Keys’ service games.
The first set turned into a one-sided sequence of return pressure. Starodubtseva broke repeatedly, winning four return games in a row, while Keys struggled to establish any rhythm. The American won just 34% of her service points in the set — a number that left her constantly on the back foot and unable to dictate.
Starodubtseva, by contrast, kept the structure of her game simple and effective: deep returns, controlled rally length, and a refusal to rush points. It was enough to strip Keys of her usual first-strike advantage.
The second set offered more resistance. Keys steadied her serve early and briefly matched the baseline exchanges, but the pattern re-emerged at 2:2. Starodubtseva tightened her return depth, earned consecutive breaks, and surged to 5:2 with the finish line in sight.
A late push from Keys — including a break back — added tension, but not doubt. Starodubtseva held her nerve, closed the match cleanly, and secured the biggest win of her career to date.
Yuliia Starodubtseva vs. Madison Keys 6-1, 6-4
Pegula absorbs pressure to edge past Jovic
If the first semi-final was about control, the second was about resilience.
Pegula’s path to the final was anything but straightforward. She fell 0:3 behind early as Jovic attacked her second serve and extended rallies, forcing the American into defensive positions.
The response came gradually. Pegula lifted her first-serve percentage and shortened exchanges with sharper placement, turning the momentum without a single defining moment. From 0:3, she won six of the next seven games to claim the opening set.
The second set settled into a serve-dominated rhythm. For ten games, neither player carved out a break chance, both winning around 80% of points behind their first delivery. It was Jovic who blinked last — in the right direction — raising her return intensity at 5:5 to snatch the set and level the match.
That shift carried into the decider. Jovic broke early and extended her run to four consecutive games, placing Pegula under real pressure.
But the top seed reset again.
Adjusting her return position and stepping into second serves, Pegula flipped the dynamic once more. She broke back, then broke again, reclaiming control of the scoreboard. Behind a steady first serve — winning around 75% of those points — she closed out the match with authority.
Jessica Pegula vs. Iva Jovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
Jovic’s resistance never dipped, but Pegula’s ability to manage the key moments proved decisive.
A final of contrast
The Charleston final now sets a familiar force against a new arrival.
Pegula, the defending champion and one of the most consistent players on tour, moves through with hard-earned authority. Starodubtseva arrives with momentum and clarity, having navigated her run to the final with striking efficiency.
One brings stability, the other surge. On this surface, that balance rarely holds for long.