Thailand’s qualifier Luksika Kumkhum stunned Belinda Bencic 6-1 6-3 in the second round of the Australian Open two days after the Swiss 20-year-old player beat last year’s finalist Venus Williams.
Two days after knocking out Venus Williams in the opening round of the Australian Open Belinda Bencic lost to world number 124 Luksika Kumkhum by 6-1 6-3.
Bencic got an early break at 15 in the opening game to take a 1-0 lead but Kumkhum reeled off six consecutive games thanks to three breaks in the second, fourth and sixth games to win the first set 6-1. Kumkhum broke straight back in the second game after Bencic made two double faults. The Thai player broke again to race out to a 3-1 lead. Bencic failed to convert three break in the fifth game points before dropping her serve for the third time to trail 1-5.
Bencic held her first service game at the start of the second set and broke serve at deuce in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead. Kumkhum broke straight back in the third game and went up a double break in a 10-minute fifth game featuring 22 points and 8 deuces to take a 3-2 lead, when Bencic sent her forehand into the tramlines.
Kumkhum held her service game at deuce to open up a 4-2 lead and sealed a well-deserved win with a break at deuce in the final game to secure her spot in the third round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in her career. Bencic cracked her raquet in frustration while she went down 0-40 when she was serving to stay in the match. The 20-year-old Swiss player drew level at deuce but hit two consecutive backhands into the net to drop her serve.
Bencic lost for the first time after a 16-match winning streak. She reached a career high of number 7 in February 2016 but she was sidelined by a wrist injury and dropped to world number 308. last September. She has reeled off 32 of her last 36 matches since her come-back and returned to the top 100 at world number 78.
“Kumkhum played a great match. I knew that it would have been a tough match. I could not find the right tactic to trouble my rival”, said a disappointed Bencic.
Kumkhum becomes the first Thai player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament. She will face Petra Martic in the third round.
“It’s the first time that I have reached the third round. I kept telling my coach and family I am trying so hard to pass the second round. I am so happy”, said Kumkhum.
