By Chris Oddo | Thursday, June 25, 2015

 

Belinda Bencic stayed hot in Eastbourne, defeating Johanna Konta to set up a semifinal clash with Caroline Wozniacki.

Photo Source: Christopher Levy

Belinda Bencic improved to 9-2 on grass in 2015 with a come-from-behind victory over Great Britain’s Johanna Konta, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3, on Thursday at the Aegon International in Eastbourne.

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Bencic, a finalist at ‘s-Hertogenbosh less than two weeks ago, was outplayed in the opener by the surging Konta, but responded by bageling the 24-year-old wild card in the middle stanza.

After Bencic survived a marathon game to open the third, the pair stayed level until the Swiss broke for 4-2 in the decider. “All credit to her - she played tough and solid when she needed to, and she just played the situation,” said Konta. “She was definitely the better player today.”

Bencic saved all six break points she faced in the final two sets and turned the match with situational serving, steady defense, precision ground strokes and some fleet-footed improvisation.

Next up for Bencic will be Caroline Wozniacki. The second-seeded Dane posted a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Andrea Petkovic despite being broken four times in the first set (she recorded five of her own).

In the second set Wozniacki didn’t face a break point and won 10 of 15 points against the German’s serve.

Bencic and Wozniacki have split their two previous meetings, with the Swiss teenager responding to a 6-0, 6-0 shellacking at Istanbul last year with a giant upset at Indian Wells this March.

The other Eastbourne semifinal will feature a resurgent Agnieszka Radwanska and Sloane Stephens.

Radwanska, seeded ninth, continued her romp through the draw on Thursday, flying past Tsvetana Pironkova, 6-2, 6-2. Radwanska has only dropped nine games in three matches en route to the semis.

Stephens reached the semis when Daria Gavrilova was forced to withdraw with an abdominal injury. Stephens, 22, still does not have a WTA final to her name.

Radwanska owns a 3-0 lifetime edge over Stephens, but two of their meetings have gone three sets.