Bencic scores big win in comeback over Azarenka at Qatar Total Energies Open

Belinda Bencic hits big with the forehand during her round of 16 match with Victoria Azarenka at the Qatar Total Energies Open.

Belinda Bencic made a strong comeback that kept her moving at the Qatar Total Energies Open Wednesday night. The Swiss overcame from a set down and 1-4 in the second set to defeat Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 on Grandstand 1 court at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex.

It’s the battle of two strong players clashing in the early stages of the tournament, with Bencic hot off her recent win. Dispatching Viktoriya Tomova in under an hour gave her a sixth straight victory. Azarenka also won in quick fashion, taking down Ipek Oz in straight sets. Though the 33-year-old carried a 2-0 series lead, the two last faced off in 2019 when the Swiss teen retired. The former world number one hoped that she could ice the red-hot seventh seed.

Azarenka was first to act, bringing in her crosscourt attack that held Bencic off from pushing to deuce. In the second game, the seventh seed had Azarenka pushing twice, scoring the break. The 33-year-old had a smooth service in the third, taking a 3-0 lead on the Swiss powerhouse, who struggled to find a way through. Bencic continued fighting, but her skills to send Azarenka wide on the rallies didn’t work out.

She thought she had a break chance in the fifth up 40-15, but the former world number one saved two breaks to force deuce. Gaining the AD point, Azarenka scored the victory to be up 5-0. Bencic served to keep the set going, yet suffered her second double fault. Despite the miscue on serve, the seventh seed etched out a victory to avoid the bagel. Azarenka was back in the driver’s seat in the seventh, shutting out the Swiss star, who threw her racket in response ending 33 minutes of action in the set.

After taking a few minutes off the court, Bencic returned to serve the second set. Getting out front remained difficult for the reigning Olympic champion as Azarenka found a way to force deuce and seal up a break. She comfortably consolidated in the second, making it clear to the seventh seed, that it would be a tough day to overturn the score. Bencic held serve in the third to avoid another path like the first, but the fourth went to Azarenka, who was up 3-1.

The fifth game was the most competitive as Bencic had some shots that challenged Azarenka, but the 33-year-old had time to send back the return. They played just three breaks, and the former world number one came out with the victory. Bencic returned the favor, breaking back in the sixth, with the sense that a change of pace was occurring for the seventh seed. She managed to hold serve in the seventh, putting her a game down from the 33-year-old.

Things started to go wrong for Azarenka, who found herself double-faulting a second time on serve in the match. She opened the door for Bencic to sit with a break chance which she clinched on a long return from Azarenka, making it four-all. The seventh seed made her first move to lead the set, coming from behind on serve to force deuce and get the AD point on the second break.

The 33-year-old rallied to level, holding Bencic to a point in the tenth. The Swiss star responded with a terrific hold in the 11th, allowing Azarenka a single point. The attempt to force a third set was stopped by the 33-year-old, who held her side of the court. With a tiebreak left, the two players went all-out, with Bencic leading the way through the first four points. The Swiss star stayed well ahead of her opponent, reaching set point at 6-3. Azarenka handed Bencic set point on a double fault that brought a decider into play after 77 minutes.

The seventh seed improved on her first serve percentage as well as getting more points from both sides of the service. Azarenka’s second serve let her own, taking damage from Bencic that led to her lead being erased and fighting on every point to stay close. Bencic had other plans for the third set, breaking Azarenka to start the final stanza. She consolidated for a 2-0 lead, but it didn’t come easy as the 33-year-old hung in there to force deuce.

The fire calmed down between the players as each of them produced comfortable service holds through the next four games. Bencic still held a game up on Azarenka through seven, increasing her lead with a hold of serve. Azarenka fought to grab another win under her belt, sitting one game from tying the set. The seventh seed had a chance to go for the match on serve, doing so on a long ball from Azarenka that brought a close to a hard fight that took 2 hours and 42 minutes.