In addition to this being the first title of her season, it is also her fourth overall title, her second on a clay surface. She had struggled with injury at the start of the year and exited the Australian Open in the second round.
She did manage to hold her own against Bencic and fought back from a break in the first set.
“I’ve been wanting to win this tournament for a long time,” Jabeur said.
“People have been amazing to me. So it’s nice to have a great memory here in Charleston and this is a pretty good start to the clay season.”
“I’m very excited to go to Paris and celebrate with my family and with my little nephew, who was just born three weeks ago. This is his gift. He doesn’t know it, but it’s his gift.”
She also later said that she felt lucky during the match.
“But I think I was lucky and creative with that shot, which was amazing, and it changed up the game a bit for the first set, for sure.”
Bencic went into the Charleston Open as the defending champion and she had to play two matches on Sunday since her semi-final with Jessica Pegula was interrupted by rain.
After the match, Bencic was classy with her acknowledgment of Jabeur’s win.
“Ons, how you played today was incredible,” Bencic said during the trophy ceremony. “I figured at the end of the tiebreak, the way you played, maybe it was meant to be for you this year. You deserve it. I’m very glad you’re back, tennis is amazing with you. It’s a pain playing against you, but for tennis you are great.”