Keys Seeks Charleston Open Repeat Against Vekić

Fifth-seeded American looks to continue dominance over Croatian in second-round clash

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:54am

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movement and competitive energy of a tennis match between two players, with sharp planes of navy, green, and orange colors.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes second-round clash between defending champion Madison Keys and challenger Donna Vekić at the 2026 Charleston Open.

Fifth-seeded Madison Keys will begin her 2026 Charleston Open campaign with a second-round match against Donna Vekić. Keys, the 2019 Charleston champion, has a 4-1 head-to-head advantage over Vekić and enters the match in better form, having reached the quarterfinals in Brisbane and Adelaide earlier this year.

Why it matters

Keys is seeking to defend her Charleston Open title and build momentum heading into the clay court season, while Vekić is looking to turn around her recent struggles and pull off an upset against the higher-ranked American.

The details

Keys received a first-round bye, while Vekić has already played three matches, winning her qualifying rounds and her first-round main draw match against Ajla Tomljanovic. Keys has an 8-5 win-loss record in 2026 so far, with quarterfinal appearances in Brisbane and Adelaide, while Vekić has struggled with early exits in several events this season.

  • The second-round match between Keys and Vekić will take place on April 1, 2026.
  • Keys won the Charleston Open title in 2019.

The players

Madison Keys

A fifth-seeded American player who is the defending champion at the Charleston Open, having won the title in 2019.

Donna Vekić

A Croatian player who has a 1-4 head-to-head record against Keys and is looking to pull off an upset in the second round of the Charleston Open.

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What they’re saying

“I'm really looking forward to defending my title here in Charleston. It's one of my favorite events on tour and I always enjoy playing in front of the great fans here.”

— Madison Keys

What’s next

The winner of the Keys-Vekić match will advance to the third round of the Charleston Open.

The takeaway

This second-round clash between the fifth-seeded Keys and the lower-ranked Vekić will be a test of Keys' ability to defend her Charleston Open title, as she looks to build momentum on clay ahead of the French Open.