Bencic Grits Out Victory In Den Bosch

  • Posted: Jan 01, 1970

‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH, Netherlands – Top seed Belinda Bencic was made work again in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, coming back from a set down to win against Varvara Lepchenko and set up an all-Swiss quarterfinal at the Ricoh Open.

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Playing in her first matches of the season on grass – and her first since her two-month injury layoff – Bencic had trouble finding her rhythm early on and struggled with her serve, striking six double faults.

“My level is still not there where I want it to be,” Bencic said afterwards. “I don’t think it was a really good match from my side. But all I could do myself was just to fight and keep going. That’s what I’m trying every day so I’m just hoping to improve.”

Lepchenko took advantage of Bencic’s service woes to break early on in the first set, taking it 6-3. Bencic found her range in the second, and in the third set she broke twice and strung together more consistent rallies to take the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Bencic’s win sets up an all-Swiss quarterfinal at the Ricoh Open; she’s set to face qualifier Viktorija Golubic in the next round. She defeated Japanese qualifier Risa Ozaki, 6-4, 6-2.

The pair are Fed Cup regulars for Switzerland, as well as good friends off the court.

“I’m very happy for her that she’s having such good results,” Bencic said. “I just think it’s very positive for the Swiss to have two players in the quarterfinals.

“I’m really good friends with her so I hope that it will be a good match. I will have fun out there and try to fight like today.”

The luck ran out for the other two seeded players in action today in ‘s-Hertogenbosch as No.2 Jelena Jankovic and No.4 Jelena Ostapenko went tumbling out.

“I’m so happy to win today,” said Evgeniya Rodina, who knocked out Jankovic 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-4. “I’ve played against her three times before, and three times I lost.

“I just tried to play every single point, hit hard and just try to do my best.”

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