In a thrilling encounter during the semi-finals of the United Cup on Saturday, Belinda Bencic maintained her flawless start to the season by overcoming Elise Mertens with a score of 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(0). This victory not only kept her undefeated streak alive but also put Switzerland ahead in the match.
Interestingly, Mertens had previously triumphed over Bencic in their only other clash back in 2021. However, the 28-year-old Swiss player entered this match on a roll, boasting an impressive 6-0 record from her country’s earlier matches. While Mertens had faced formidable opponents like Victoria Mboko and Barbora Krejcikova after winning against Zhu Lin in straight sets, Bencic had been dominant, winning without dropping a set against Leolia Jeanjean, Jasmine Paolini, and Solana Sierra, leading her team into the final four.
Bencic appeared poised for a straightforward victory, leading 6-3, 4-3 with just two games left. Yet, Mertens rallied, refusing to bow out quietly. After saving two break points that would have allowed Bencic to take a 4-1 lead in the final set, Mertens broke Bencic's serve and found herself just two points away from the win while Bencic was serving at 30-30, down 6-5.
In a remarkable turn of events, Bencic made a spontaneous decision to switch to a freshly-strung racquet, which seemed to invigorate her. She went on to dominate the last nine points of the match, securing victory after a grueling 2 hours and 37 minutes of play.
Reflecting on her performance, Bencic expressed immense relief, saying, "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." On the racquet change, she admitted, "My brain turned off and let my instincts take over. I think it was just a feeling, and I played with my back against the wall. I was really focused on myself, on breathing, and I'm super happy that I stayed tough in the important moments."
Now, all eyes will be on Stan Wawrinka as he aims to secure a place for Switzerland in the finals when he competes against Zizou Bergs next.
