Swiss tennis sensation Belinda Bencic has shed light on the pivotal ninth game of the third set that shaped her victory at Indian Wells against American prodigy, Coco Gauff. Bencic expressed her strategic insights into the game, revealing how she sensed Gauff’s rising tension and capitalized on it, applying relentless pressure.
The match was a thrilling seesaw battle, with each player taking a set apiece, and the decisive third set unfolding with a neck-and-neck intensity. Neither Bencic nor Gauff was able to carve out a break point in the first eight games of this final set, making it an evenly poised contest.
However, the tide began to turn in the ninth game. Gauff, on her home soil, had an impressive 40/0 lead and seemed poised to secure the game, thereby tightening her grip on the match with a 5-4 advantage. Yet, in a surprising twist of fate, the third-seeded Gauff faltered, squandering multiple game points and ultimately surrendering a break to Bencic.
Bencic, with her quick reflexes and strategic finesse, pounced on this opportunity. She remained unswerving in the subsequent game, serving out the match to seal a hard-fought 3-6 6-3 6-4 victory.
Reflecting on the match, Bencic underscored the significance of the game at 40-0. “Winning the first point was a confidence booster. The second point, I took a chance on the return. That’s when I realized, I could actually win this game,” the world No. 58 explained.
Bencic further elaborated on her tactical approach, revealing that she had honed in on Gauff’s forehand – a perceived weak point in the 21-year-old’s game. “I sensed her growing tension, and I felt that it was the perfect moment to target her forehand,” remarked the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist.
The win at Indian Wells propelled Bencic into the quarterfinals, where she is set to face off against Madison Keys. This insightful commentary from Bencic offers a rare glimpse into the strategic nuances of top-tier tennis, demonstrating the mental agility required to outmaneuver an opponent and seize victory from the clutches of defeat.
