'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Belinda Bencic had a tough start to her time at the Mallorca Open but came away with the win Monday. It was a hard-fought match between with herself and Rebecca Peterson that went just two breaks but ended in a 7-5, 6-4 result on Pista Central at the Santa Ponza Tennis Club on the island of Mallorca. It marked the 30th match win for the Swiss star and the first at the tournament
Trending
In case you didn't know
The Swiss star made her first appearance on the Spanish island and would start it against a new foe. Peterson made it to the round of 16 last year intent on improving her 4-2 record on grass courts. With this being her third run on the surface, the Swede would carry an advantage over Bencic who would find out if transitioning a third time with ease would pay off or struggle her.
She opened the set breaking Peterson after trailing shortly to gain the break and avoid it from going to deuce. The Swede answered back in a similar fashion converting in the second before consolidating it with a hold in the third with a serve to love. Bencic didn’t get an easy path in the fourth but held off Peterson in the fourth to remain even. They went back to breaks with the 23 year old producing three set points before locking it down on the second chance.
The world number 13 broke back in the sixth but continued to struggle with the first serve offense. In an attempt to show some aggression, Bencic forced deuce in the seventh that spanned three breaks only to lose back to back AD points. She dropped three break points to Peterson with the first serve causing her problems.
The Swiss star somehow found a way to save all three points but gave the Swede another free point with an error to hand her a 5-3 lead. Serving for the set in the ninth, Peterson faced another push from Bencic who forced break points before she drew an error from the Swede to sit a game down. The third seed made the key improvement that evened up the score at five all with great crosscourt winners.
Heart of the matter
Bencic fought hard to convert a break in the 11th that went to deuce. She denied Peterson a shot at the AD point and gained her own on the second to stand with the ball in hand to serve for the set. She opened the gap to two set points losing one before locking it down with a winner to end 55 minutes. It was clearly not the best set for either as they had double digit winners but also a high amount of errors. Despite the issues, the lead for Bencic had her hoping that her 24-1 record when leading after the first set would hold up.
The second got underway with Peterson facing the challenges of Bencic where she faced three break points and dealt with all of them. Her hold came after the second break to start things on the right track. Bencic followed suit with a strong service game before going after the Swede in the third. Peterson cut Bencic short of any chance at a break point assuring herself of a strong service game. The third seed answered with another level pegging in the fourth which increased the output of strength from the 23 year old.
The two played a pair of heavily contested games of six breaks and each one holding the AD points in their respective serves. With success from each end, the Swede acted first in the seventh holding serve for game point. Bencic made it four-all with a great service game setting her up for a chance to break the Swede. She was out of position on game point when a return from Peterson forced deuce into play. The fight for the crucial point lasted three breaks where on a fourth attempt, the 22 year old scored the break to serve for the match.
Showing control and poise, Bencic gained two match points but saw one erased on a bad beat where Peterson’s return hit the net and dropped over. She added a much better return to force deuce but the Swiss was on a mission to finish it by any means. She capitalized on a backhand slice for match points and ended a ten shot rally with a great lob return to end 1 hour and 49 minutes.
What's next?
Both had 23 winners and played 167 combined points in their match but the difference maker was the unforced errors which Bencic’s minimized in the late stages to be able to move into the second round. She will await the winner between Shuai Zhang and Shelby Rogers on Wednesday.
