TENNIS – Belinda Bencic won the first WTA title of her career after her 6-4 4-6 6-0 victory over Agniewska Radwanska in Eastbourne. It was her first win in two finals Diego Sampaolo
The match was marked by 18 break points. Bencic converted her second break point chance in the seventh game for 4-3 but was broken back at the first break point opportunity in the next game for 4-4. The 18-year-old Swiss player earned three break point chances and converted on the third opportunity for 5-4 before closing out on her second set point in the next game.
The second set featured five games at deuce. Radwanska, who won in Eastbourne in 2008 broke in the second game of the second game. Bencic lost 12 of the first 13 points and went down 0-3. The Swiss player held her serve in the fourth game for 1-3 before breaking serve in the fifth game for 2-3 after a very long game.
Bencic won her third consecutive game to draw level to 3-3 but Radwanska saved a break point in the seventh game for 4-3. The Pole broke serve to seal the second set with 6-4.
Bencic bounced back winning the decider with a bagel to clinch her first title after three attempts. She broke in the first game of the third set and held her serve for 2-0. Bencic broke in the third game on her second break point opportunity for 3-0. Bencic broke for the third time in the fifth game for 5-0 before sealing the win on the first of her three match points after two hours and 12 minutes.
Bencic adds her name to the prestigious roll of honour of the Eastbourne tournament which features Martina Navratilova, who won the first of her 11 titles on the English South Coast in 1978 at the age of 22, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Kim Cljsters and Justine Henin.
Bencic qualified for the final after her semifinal’s rival Caroline Woznaicki was forced to withdraw with a back injury. Bencic played her second final on grass two weeks after losing to Camila Giorgi at s’Hertogenbosh. She was watched by 1997 and her mentor Wimbledon Martina Hingis during the week. Bencic was coached by Hingis’ mother Melanie Molitor until 2012.
“This is one of the biggest days in my life. It’s a dream come true. It’s incredible. I will never forget this,” said Bencic
