Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic dismissed former World No 1 Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open
Belinda Bencic is ecstatic after her 7-6, 6-3 win over Jankovic. Pics/AFP
New York: Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic dismissed former World No 1 Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (8-6), 6-3 on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open.
Belinda Bencic is ecstatic after her 7-6, 6-3 win over Jankovic. Pics/AFP
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Bencic, 17 and ranked 58th in the world, became the youngest US Open quarter-finalist since Martina Hingis won the title in 1997 at the age of 16.
Hingis, whose mother Melanie Molitor is one of Bencic's coaches, was courtside for the match, lending a little moral support to her young compatriot, who was the 2013 junior title at Wimbledon and Roland Garros but hadn't made it past the third round in three major main draw appearances this year.
Martina Hingis watches from the stands at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday as her friend and ward Belinda Bencic played former Jelena Jankovic in the US Open pre-quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows, New York
She next faces China's Peng Shuai, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over 14th-seeded Lucie Safarova.
"I just tried to play the match point like it was a normal point, but I was so tight," the beaming youngster said.