Belinda Bencic ends Serena Williams at National Bank Open

Belinda Bencic clenches her fist during her second round match against Serena Williams at the National Bank Open. 

Belinda Bencic stayed focused and let her tennis game speak loudly at the National Bank Open Wednesday night. In just her second win over Serena Williams, the 25-year-old bested the former world number one in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 on center court at Sobeys Stadium in Toronto.

The American won her first match since the third round of the 2021 French Open defeating Nuria Parrizas-Diaz on center court two nights ago. It came on the same day she announced her upcoming retirement, but for the 40-year-old, she still had a competition to partake in. She last faced Bencic in 2019, where she won in three sets, marking her third against the Swiss. The 12th seed notched a single victory against Williams that led to her first major title in 2016. With the chance to get another one, the 25-year-old saved up strength after her opening round win to prepare for this moment in Toronto.

Williams opened with a service hold yet faced challenges from the Swiss. When Bencic got her chance, she moved the ball around to get the American off the mark and lock her end down. An opportunity for Bencic came to fruition when Williams double-faulted twice during her service. It handed the 12th seed three break points when the second double fault from the 40-year-old capped it.

Bencic followed it up with a comfortable serve to love, notching ten straight points against the former world number one. While the crowd tried to give Williams support, Bencic took her time to hit the shots back and gain breakpoints. The American overcame a 40-15 deficit, forcing deuce and ending Bencic’s winning streak. By the sixth game, the 12th seed had a two-game buffer on the 40-year-old, who didn’t have consistency working in her favor.

In the seventh, the Swiss star perfectly blocked a body shot from Williams, scoring on a return winner she wasn’t set up to respond to. The 25-year-old’s footwork was a key play in her success against the American, who flopped her final shot into the net. With a chance to serve for the set, Bencic earned free points on errors by Williams to achieve set point. On her first attempt, the rally got dicey, leading Williams to smash a net-front winner for deuce. Bencic knew she had the leverage to get out of trouble and, after four breaks, an easy finish awarded her the first in 42 minutes.

Williams served to begin the second set and earned applause from the crowd with a strong service hold. Bencic followed it up with her consistent timing and forehand repertoire that answered the American. Williams added another service game that was a positive feeling for her supporters in the stands, leading the 12th seed Swiss. Bencic responded with blistering winners that quickly made it two-all, wanting the momentum back.

A serve to love from Williams showed an increase in her offense as she continued to lead Bencic. Six games were held between the two, but in the seventh, errors from Williams handed the Swiss star breakpoints leading to a double fault that gave her the lead. With the break in hand, the 12th seed was given free points on errant returns and a 5-3 stance. Williams wasn’t going down without a fight and hit big shots that forced errors from Bencic. She capped a fourth win in the set but had to stave off the Swiss, who served for the match.

Long balls from the American helped Bencic get two match points in the tenth leaving Bencic to watch another long ball fall right in front of her and clinch the victory in 1 hour and 19 minutes. With another huge moment in her career, the Swiss goes on to match against Garbine Muguruza in the round of 16.