By Chris Oddo | Tuesday August 11, 2015
Belinda Bencic was pushed to three sets but ultimately finished off Eugenie Bouchard to reach the second round at the Rogers Cup.
Photo Source: Vaughn Ridley/Getty
Two players headed in different directions momentarily crossed paths on Tuesday in Toronto, and though they tangled for a time with the outcome in doubt, it was 18-year-old Belinda Bencic who came away with the 6-0, 5-7, 6-2 victory while Canada’s free-falling Eugenie Bouchard fell for the 13th time in her last 15 matches.
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But credit to Bouchard, she did temporarily derail Bencic’s fast-track to victory by saving a match point and rallying from 5-3 down in the second set to force a decider. But in the end Bencic’s rise to prominence continued on just as Bouchard’s dramatic fall from grace seemingly knows no end.
Bencic’s second victory over Bouchard in 2015 sets up an enticing—and winnable—tilt for the Swiss with Caroline Wozniacki in the second round. Bencic has defeated Wozniacki twice in a row after Wozniacki handed her a double-bagel shellacking in Istanbul last July (Note: Bencic’s second win came via retirement in Eastbourne after only three games).
On Tuesday, after cruising in a love opener, Bencic found herself having difficulties closing the match and eventually dropped a tight second set to the Canadian as the hometown crowd attempted to rally their favorite to victory.
But the wise-beyond-her-years teenager responded with a cool, calculated third set to earn the victory. In the decider Bencic didn’t face a break point, dropped only five points on serve, and converted both her break point opportunities to run away with it.
The World No. 20 broke critically for a 2-1 lead in the decider and closed the match on serve, ripping a down-the-line two-hander that Bouchard couldn’t make a play on. She improves to 26-17 with the victory.
Bouchard, who announced her split with coach Sam Sumyk earlier this week, says she was not too disappointed with the loss. "It's for sure a step in the right direction," she said, according to WTATennis.com. "I feel like I started out a little bit rusty in a sense. But I was able to raise my game, and I think it was pretty competitive out there after that first set. So I'm pleased with my performance tonight."
In other late-night action at Toronto, Dominika Cibulkova snapped a four-match losing streak with a win over Sloane Stephens in straight sets. Cibulkova, who improves to 1-1 vs. Stephens with the win, will face Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in the second round.