Belinda Bencic will compete within the third spherical of the Madrid Open. Competing within the Spanish capital for the primary time in three years, the 2019 semi-finalist prevailed over an in-form Clara Tauson 7-5, 7-5 in an hour and 55 minutes.
Clara had her probabilities to increase the duel and chase the win. The younger Dane served for the opener within the tenth sport earlier than dropping three straight video games. Belinda stored her composure in two difficult service video games of the second set.
She supplied a late break to seal the deal and keep away from spending extra time on the courtroom towards world no. 23.
Turning the dial 🎚️@BelindaBencic places on a dominate displaying to knock out Tauson 7-5, 7-5!#MMOPEN pic.twitter.com/1kPsyjGzr1
— wta (@WTA) April 24, 2025
The Swiss had the higher hand within the pivotal moments. She outplayed her rival behind the second serve and defended six of seven break factors to maintain the strain on the opposite facet. Clara dominated together with her first serve however struggled on the second.
She confronted three break factors and skilled as many breaks to finish his marketing campaign within the second spherical. They served properly early on, and Belinda landed a forehand drive-volley winner within the seventh sport for 4-3 in 26 minutes.
Belinda Bencic & Clara Tauson, Madrid Open 2025© Stream screenshot
Tauson held after deuces within the eighth sport to stay on the optimistic facet and stepped in on the return within the subsequent one. The Dane landed a forehand winner to safe a break and transfer 5-4 in entrance. Clara served for the opener in sport ten and cracked beneath strain.
The youthful participant hit a double fault and skilled a break at 15 to maintain her rival in rivalry. Belinda defended a break level in sport 11 and held for 6-5 after the rival's unfastened forehand. Tauson served to remain within the set in sport 12 and sprayed extra errors.
Clara Tauson, Madrid Open 2025© Stream screenshot
She hit a double fault and provided Bencic two set factors. The Dane sprayed one other double fault on the primary, permitting the Swiss to assert the opener 7-5 after 55 minutes. The servers had been too robust within the opening six video games of the second set.
Belinda confronted the last word take a look at at 3-3. She performed towards three break factors and denied them with positive hitting earlier than holding with an unreturned serve for 4-3. Tauson closed the eighth sport at love with a robust serve. They served properly in video games 9 and ten.
Belinda Bencic, Madrid Open 2025© Stream screenshot
The Dane stepped in on the return within the eleventh sport and generated two set factors. Bencic saved them with a winner and a pressured error earlier than holding with a backhand crosscourt winner. Clara served to remain within the match in sport 12 and cracked beneath strain, like within the opener.
The Dane confronted three match factors after the Swiss' forehand winner. Belinda seized the primary match level with a pressured error, transferring excessive and reaching the final 32.
