Veteran Venus Schools Bencic to Reach Round of 16

September 4, 2015 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff

Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic entered the U.S. Open as one of the hottest players on the tour, but ran into a focused and determined Venus Williams on Friday. The 23rd-seeded American beat the 12th-seeded Bencic 6-3, 6-4 to reach the Round of 16.

Venus had a few break chances in the opening set, and finally capitalized on one at 4-3. She consolidated that with a hold to take the opener 6-3.

In the second, it was Bencic who got things going early. She took the break advantage and held a 4-1 second-set lead, only to see the two-time U.S. Open champion rattle off the final five games to take the set and the match.

Up next for Venus will be the winner of the match between American Madison Brengle and Estonian Anett Kontaveit.

The first winner of the day was France’s Kristina Mladenovic, who downed lucky loser Daria Kasatkina 6-2, 6-3 to reach the first Round of 16 at a Grand Slam in her career.

Mladenovic fired 24 winners and broke four times to move through in just over an hour.

She will take on 13th-seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova, who downed 17th-seed Elina Svitolina 6-3, 7-5. Makarova fell down a break in her opening service game, but responded with two of her own to take the first-set.

In the second, she let a break advantage slip away, but once again responded with another late break to get through in straight sets.

Makarova leads the head-to-head with Mladenovic 2-0. 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Bethpage
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