Bencic dominates against Tomova at Qatar Total Energies Open

Belinda Bencic celebrates a point in her opening round match with Viktoriya Tomova at the Qatar Total Energies Open. 

Belinda Bencic notched her 13th win in stunning fashion at the Qatar Total Energies Open Tuesday night. The seventh seed won 20 of the last 22 points played that dispatched Viktoriya Tomova in straight sets 6-0, 6-1 on center court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.

The two met in the first round of the Australian Open where Bencic handled the match with precision, winning in straight sets. Since then, the Swiss took a break and went into Abu Dhabi, capturing the title last week. She returned for her fifth appearance, hoping to keep up her record of 12-2 and make a run for another WTA championship. Tomova went into Linz but didn’t get deep into the main draw. She left for Doha, playing qualifications to set up her second meeting with the seventh seed.

Bencic dug her path in the set, holding Tomova back on serve, then breaking her in the second where the Bulgarian only notched a point. Tomova gave it her all to challenge Bencic to the brink in third. She traded points with the seventh seed until a break chance came to her end of the court. A miscue forced the score to deuce where they spanned three breaks. Tomova had two more breakpoint opportunities, but Bencic denied her opponent and made it a 3-0 deficit.

She responded with the double break and took a commanding 5-0 stand in the set, closing in on the match lead. Tomova gave it one more push to remain in control of her service, but the seventh seed turned the tables late in the sixth to force an error on the final rally and win the shutout in 28 minutes. Despite having two double-faults, her nine winners took care of holding Tomova back, who was outscored 28-15.

The Bulgarian knew that she couldn’t suffer another bagel at the hands of the seventh seed, following Bencic in the second set. Overcoming a 40-0 deficit on serve, Tomova battled for the AD point four times before she locked it down to level early. Bencic had some issues from the second serve but held things together in the third to regain the lead.

She coasted along to another two games, breaking Tomova to love and serving to love for a 4-1 lead. Another break to love made it 5-1 for the seventh seed, who served a quick finish for the Bulgarian. Giving up one point was no problem for Bencic, who reached match point before delivering a crosscourt winner on the line to dominate in just under an hour.  

“I’m really happy with the tennis I’m playing this year,” said Bencic after her match. “I feel like it's clicking well and fighting hard for every point, and hopefully it's going to continue like that.” With a 13-2 record, Victoria Azarenka will be next to challenge her skills in their fight to step ahead in Doha.