The in-form Belinda Bencic caused a minor upset by sending fifth seed and last year’s runner-up Venus Williams packing in the first round of the Australian Open on the Rod Laver Arena. The former world number seven was victorious, 6-3, 7-5 in one hour and 53 minutes.
When both draws were revealed in the men’s and women’s singles draw at the Australian Open last Thursday, all eyes were firmly fixed on the mouthwatering first round clash between Bencic and Williams. The Swiss has been in-form since winning the Hopman Cup with Roger Federer in Perth as she has returned from injured which kept her out of the game for five months.
Both players held onto their serves with ease in the early exchanges of this first round encounter with no break points in sight. The duo were hitting the ball cleanly and hard, with no margin for error as both players were looking to dictate the play.
However, it was the 20-year-old who seized the opportunity by breaking Williams’ serve to lead 4-3, furthermore, after having five break point opportunities and a rain delay in between the chaos, Bencic consolidated the break, leading 5-3 with the roof closed on the Rod Laver Arena.
The world number 77 claimed her third successive game on the bounce by breaking the former world number one’s serve to love, claiming the opening set, 6-3 in 58 minutes.
Bencic beats Williams for the first time
Last year’s runner-up started the second set by breaking Bencic’s serve for the first time in the match but she was immediately broken back, and the duo traded breaks a further, two more times in succession. It was the consistent Bencic who edged out in front with a 3-2 lead over the 37-year-old American.
Williams managed to hold onto her serve to restore parity at 3-3, and she was threatening the former top ten player’s serve but Bencic’s blistering forehands bailed her out of trouble with the former world number one continuing to commit unforced errors.
The second set was destined for a tiebreak but Bencic had other ideas, and she upset the two-time Australian Open runner-up with a scorching forehand winner placed sweetly down the line with Williams unable to get there.
It was the Swiss’ first win over Williams in five meetings after she lost to the American in the third round of the US Open back in 2015, which was their last encounter. Her victory also snapped Williams’ amazing run of reaching the second week at the last seven Slams on the bounce, dating back to the 2016 French Open.
On-court interviewer Rennae Stubbs congratulated Bencic and asked Bencic on her thoughts about playing Williams when the draw came out, after playing Serena in the first round last year.
“Honestly not the first reaction of everyone was bad luck (laughs), of course it would have been nice to have faced someone easier in the first round and get through it but on the other side, it’s a big court and I have another chance to play Venus or Serena and I think it’s amazing because when I was a little girl, I was watching them on TV, I never thought that I would have the chance to play them.”
Bencic also spoke about how her outlook on tennis has changed.
“Of course it was a difficult five months, I think the perspective changes a lot and I just came back and I enjoy it much more, I appreciate that I can play, I’m not thinking about winning and losing and happy to be on the court, it taught me a lot in a frustrating time.”
Roger Federer’s parents were in attendance to watch Bencic’s first round clash and it was an honor for her to have them in her box.
“No definitely not, I was so happy that they wanted to watch my match, thank you for supporting me, we had a great week in the Hopman Cup with Roger, no pressure I just felt support.”
Bencic will play Lusika Kumkhum or Johanna Larsson in the second round and a potential fourth round clash with 12th seed Julia Goerges or 23rd seed Daria Gavrilova over the horizon.
