Belinda Bencic Extends Undefeated Streak in United Cup Semifinals
SYDNEY — Belinda Bencic extended her undefeated season-opening streak when she beat Elise Mertens 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (0) Saturday to put Switzerland ahead 1-0 in the United Cup semifinals over Belgium. The match was a thrilling display of tennis, with both players giving it their all in the scorching Sydney heat.
Tournament organizers started play 30 minutes earlier than scheduled with searing temperatures of up to 43 Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) in the forecast for Sydney. This decision was likely made to ensure the players’ safety and prevent any heat-related injuries. Despite the challenging conditions, Bencic and Mertens delivered an outstanding performance, with Bencic ultimately emerging victorious.
A Thrilling Match
Bencic had won all six sets in her first three matches at the United Cup. She was two games away from another two-set win before Mertens pushed the match the distance. Mertens came from 3-1 down in the third set, saved a pair of break points that would have given Bencic a 4-1 lead, and was two points away from the set win with Bencic serving at 30-30, down 6-5. However, Bencic won the last nine points of the match following a decision to change her racket to a freshly-strung one, taking the match in 2 hours, 37 minutes.
According to Bencic, “It feels like 170 kilos fell off my shoulders – I was so stressed; I really wanted to do well, and today I felt so much pressure to not let my team down.” She also commented on the racket change, saying: “My brain turned off and let my instincts take over. I think it was just a feeling.” This decision clearly paid off, as Bencic was able to turn the match around and secure the win for Switzerland.
Other Semifinal Matches
Later Saturday in the other semifinal, No. 2-ranked Iga Świątek of Poland was scheduled to face No. 4 Coco Gauff of the United States and Hubert Hurkacz played American Taylor Fritz. A mixed doubles match would be played if the teams were level after the singles. In the Poland-Australia quarterfinal on Friday, it took a mixed doubles decider to separate the teams. The United Cup has been an exciting tournament so far, with many thrilling matches and unexpected turns of events.
Stan Wawrinka, who will retire at the end of this season, played Zizou Bergs in men’s singles in an attempt to advance Switzerland to Sunday’s final at Ken Rosewall Arena against either the defending champion United States or Poland. Wawrinka’s retirement has been highly anticipated, and his performance in the United Cup will be closely watched by fans and critics alike.
The United Cup has been a showcase for talented tennis players from around the world, with many surprises and upsets along the way. As the tournament progresses, fans can expect even more exciting matches and dramatic turns of events. With the semifinals underway, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to the tournament.
