Erratic Bencic blusters through to third round at Australian Open
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Erratic Bencic blusters through to third round at Australian Open
Melbourne (AFP) – In-form Belinda Bencic s bid to become only the second Swiss woman to win the Australian Open stayed on track Thursday, but only after an erratic 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over American Claire Liu in the second round.
The 25-year-old came to Melbourne Park on the back of lifting her seventh career title in Adelaide, a win that propelled her back into the world s top 10.
But the 12th seed initially cut a grumpy figure, finding herself 5-2 and two set points down to the world number 62 in blustery conditions on Margaret Court Arena.
Bencic saved both, the second courtesy of a nervy Liu double fault.
Then after being urged to stay patient by her coach Dimitry Tursunov from the players box, Bencic clawed her way back and took the set on a tiebreak after 72 minutes.
The Swiss tried to put her foot down at the start of the second set, breaking the 22-year-old Liu twice, but failed to consolidate the advantage each time.
When a third break came, however, Bencic made sure to hold her own, eventually taking the match in an hour and 51 minutes to extend her 2023 win-loss record to 6-1.
"I m super happy with today s win because I thought it was a very difficult match," she said after a scrappy battle punctuated by nine breaks of serve and 21 unforced errors to her opponent s 41.
"I had to really fight as my opponent was playing very well and wasn t making it easy for me but I m happy I stayed tough and I have another win."
The only Swiss woman to lift the Australian Open winner s Daphne Akhurst Cup previously is Martina Hingis, who did so in 1997, 98 and 99.
Bencic s best result in 10 previous Australian Open appearances was a run to the fourth round, in 2016.
Bencic moves on to play Italy s Camila Giorgi on Saturday for a place in the last 16.
