By the numbers: Starodubtseva goes from World No. 89 to WTA final No. 1 in Charleston
Yuliia Starodubtseva began the week ranked No. 89 in the PIF WTA Rankings and only received automatic main-draw entry in Charleston after a late withdrawal. Now, after upsetting former champion Madison Keys in straight sets in Saturday’s semifinal, the 26-year-old is set to compete for her first WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz title in her first tour-level final on Sunday against Jessica Pegula.
Charleston: Scores | Draws | Order of play
“Maddie is a great opponent,” Starodubtseva said in her on-court interview. “I’ve watched a lot of her matches. It’s not easy to take on someone like that. Staying solid, staying aggressive is the key. I know I had a shaky moment at (5-3) where I didn’t hold, but I had to get through it and play aggressive.”
And that’s exactly what she did in the next game. She quickly brushed aside any frustration from the missed chance to serve out the match and broke Keys at love to complete the upset, sealing a 6-1, 6-4 victory with an emphatic forehand winner.
“It’s a big moment for me,” Starodubtseva said. “I just appreciate every second here right now.”
On what will go down as the biggest day of Starodubtseva’s career thus far, here’s a look behind the numbers of her momentous -- and dominant -- victory.
0: The number of career meetings with Jessica Pegula, whom she will face for the right to hoist the trophy. Pegula enters Sunday’s final as the defending champion, having won nine straight matches in Charleston.
"It's funny," Starodubtseva said in her post-match press conference. "Recently someone told me that I should watch a bit more Jessie Pegula and try to play like her. She plays great tennis. I like how she plays, and I think she's a great fighter, and this tournament kind of shows it as well."
1: This marks the first WTA final of Starodubtseva’s career and her first final at any level since she defeated Lulu Sun to win an ITF title in Rancho Santa Fe, California, in 2023. She also became the first Ukrainian to reach the final in Charleston.
3: The win over Keys is her third over a Top 20 player and her first since defeating Liudmila Samsonova last year in Madrid. She has now earned at least one Top 20 win in three straight seasons dating back to 2024.
70.5: Her first-serve percentage. Keys may be known for having one of the best serves on tour, but it was the Ukrainian who held the edge Saturday. Not only did she land a high percentage of first serves, but she also made them count, winning nearly 65% of first-serve points and roughly 62% of second-serve points as well.
73: The number of minutes needed to finish off her straight-sets win. It’s the shortest match in terms of time elapsed anyone has needed to beat the former Australian Open champion this season, eclipsing Pegula’s 78-minute win over Keys earlier this year at…the Australian Open.