Mallorca Open 2019: Bencic runs to final with a three-set win over Kerber

Belinda Bencic got the better of Angelique Kerber at just the right time at the Mallorca Open on Saturday evening. The 22-year-old, who had a serious challenge on hand against the German, earned chances with mistakes from the top seed who fell in three sets 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 on Pista Central at Santa Ponza Country Club. It was the eighth top ten win for the Swiss star and the third final that she advanced to.

A seventh meeting between the two had them even dating back to Indian Wells where the German stopped the resurgence of the Swiss star by getting to the final of the tournament. Though it was a denial of a premier title, Bencic’s tenacity led her down many paths including another semifinal during her first run on the Spanish island. Knowing how difficult a player Kerber was becoming on grass, she had to find a way to stay with the former world number one and get herself ahead on the scoreboard.

It didn’t happen when she opened service letting the number one seed get the breakpoint chance at 30-all to take the lead. Keeping back Bencic was enough to consolidate the hold and open the gap. The third seed found her moment to dominate with the forehand giving Kerber just one point to get on the board. While it was the moment she needed, the German was on a mission and battled in the fourth where Bencic created break point opportunities but couldn’t lock it down to level.

After four breaks, the game stayed in the hands of the German who lined up for a second break of Bencic to gain a 4-1 position. The 22-year-old called down her father and coach to help her figure out how to counter attack Kerber and regain lost ground. Gaining a win against Kerber’s serve wouldn’t come in the sixth as the number one seed rallied to a 5-1 hold eyeing the set end on the horizon. The Swiss held her end but knew that she needed to prevent the first from ending at any price. Kerber refused to let that happen as she held off Bencic before reaching set point ending 33 minutes.

The number one seed managed to score 17 of 27 on the first serve but the real success came when saving break points which was done four times. Kerber’s force took a toll on Bencic’s overall gameplay which underperformed on the first serve and return play. Though she opened the second set with a strong win, the German struck back with a forceful service game to keep herself composed.

Bencic caught a break to hold again as Kerber miscued on some returns that gave her the easiest win of the match so far. Kerber answered with her first serve to love and nearly had a break to love but was foiled. The 22-year-old recovered with a quickly improved forehand that saved all three breaks to force deuce and contain the first AD point in the fifth. With the ability to act first on lead changes, Kerber knew that she had to stay with the Swiss star long enough till a shot at another break occurred.

Mistakes from her game allowed Bencic to receive the break and take a 5-3 hold with a shot at serving for a deciding set. Kerber made a jump for the lead in the game but saw Bencic rally back on serve and force deuce. Getting the AD point was another struggle as she double-faulted in a bad way keeping the German’s hopes for a straight sets scenario breathing. She came out with the forehand smashing cross courts that caught Bencic by surprise to level at five-all.

With the German surging, Bencic found a way to be fortuitous in the 11th and hold to pressure in the final game to either take it on a break or play a tiebreak. Kerber eyed any opportunity to keep the Swiss back and as such, held the 12th to play out the set to its distance. They traded off the first four points before the 22-year-old ran out a sizable lead to go big.

Winning four straight, she attained set point on Kerber before an unforced error brought the win for Bencic to play on after 46 minutes. Despite having three double faults and 19 errors in the set, the third seed didn’t let them cluster and ruin the good work she did to set up the penultimate point where it was a go for broke situation against Kerber.

She faced a serve to love from the German who quickly went for a break chance in the second but couldn’t get a grip on further breaks that she produced. After blowing a third straight, Bencic found a way to hold and deal out an attack of her own. Falling behind fast in the third, the Swiss star saved every point to force deuce and gain a break chance. Kerber stopped one and failed to get it done opening the door for the 22-year-old to lock down a 2-1 lead. She added another with good winners from the forehand to give herself a cushion on the top seed.

.@BelindaBencic comes back from a set down and is into the @MallorcaOpen final.Ousts top seed Kerber 2-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 pic.twitter.com/Z2pDCF71ae

— WTA (@WTA) June 22, 2019

Kerber got back on the ball to hold serve but continued to sit two games down with Bencic on point with her service. After seven, she managed to hold up and get within one hoping to tie in a break while the window was open to doing so. Bencic denied her that chance and jumped to 5-3 keeping the pressure in place on Kerber. The German got another win but breaking the Swiss star on serve in the tenth was not in her near future. Bencic played one final game where she beautifully reached a triple match point and clinch her way to the final after two hours.

“Every win gives you a lot of confidence but I had a really hard time playing against Angie,” Bencic said during her on-court interview. “She plays so good and we always have very good matches and I’m happy that I won this time.” She’ll go for her third title this season taking on America Sofia Kenin in Sunday’s match that would mark her chance for a second career title.

“It will be for sure exciting,” Bencic said. “We practiced for the first time here so she’s a very good player too and a big fighter so I will just enjoy it.”