Lucky loser Belinda Bencic beat Camila Giorgi 6-4 6-4 to reach the quarter final at the Connecticut Open. The world number 43 from Switzerland lost to Dayana Yastremskain the final qualifying round match, but she joined the main draw after world number 1 player Simona Halep withdrew from the match.
Bencic had never beaten Giorgi in her career and lost the Italian in the final of the 2015 S’Hertogenbosch tournament, but she clinched her first win over Giorgi in New Haven after 1 hour and 42 minutes to qualify for her second quarter final of the year.
Bencic converted six of her 14 break points, while Giorgi broke four times on her 14 opportunities and wasted a final chance in the final game of the second set.
Giorgi bounced back from three break points down to hold serve in the first game with a forehand winner to take a 1-0 lead. The Italian player broke serve at love with a forehand winner. Bencic earned two consecutive breaks. Three consecutive breaks followed en route to 4-4. Bencic got converted her third break point to get a 5-4 lead. The Swiss player served out the set with a backhand winner.
Bencic earned an early break in the first game of the second set, but Giorgi broke back to draw level to 2-2, when Bencic made a double fault on the break point. Bencic got another break at love in the next game with a backhand passing shot.
Bencic held serve to serve for the match at 5-4 and earned a match point, but Giorgi hit her crosscourt backhand on her next two points to earn a break point. The Italian hit a service return long before Bencic sealed the win, when Giorgi made two return errors.
“I am very happy to get a second to play. It’s obviously very good that I got to be in the second round, buti f I don’t win it doesn’t make a difference. So it was definitely important to win”, said Bencic.
