In the opening match of the day at the Ningbo Open, Swiss tennis star Belinda Bencic, ranked 14th in the world, entered as the clear favorite against Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva. The Ukrainian player had been struggling recently, arriving in Ningbo after losing seven matches in a row before this tournament.
However, Starodubtseva found her rhythm in the qualifying rounds. She secured convincing wins over Priscilla Hon and Tamara Korpatsch, both in straight sets. Riding that momentum, she went on to upset Yulia Putintseva 6-4, 6-2 in the opening round, earning her a shot at one of the world’s top 15 players.
Bencic, on the other hand, began her Ningbo campaign smoothly. She comfortably defeated Magda Linette 6-3, 6-2 in her first match. The Swiss player carried that form into the next round, breaking Starodubtseva early and serving for the first set at 5-4, appearing in complete control of the contest.
But the Ukrainian didn’t give up easily. Saving a crucial set point, Starodubtseva fought back fiercely to win three consecutive games, stealing the first set 7-5 and shocking her higher-ranked opponent. The turnaround energized her, while Bencic suddenly found herself under pressure to respond.
In the second set, Bencic regrouped and took charge with two early breaks, leading 5-2. Yet, once again, the match swung as Starodubtseva clawed back to 5-4. Despite the tension, Bencic steadied herself, saving a break point and eventually closing out the set 6-4 to level the score.
The final set turned into a dramatic battle of endurance. Bencic surged ahead 5-2 with a double break and even had two match points, but the Ukrainian once more mounted a comeback to tie things at 5-5. The crowd was treated to a thrilling 16-minute game where both players fought for every point.
Finally, Bencic’s experience made the difference. She broke Starodubtseva’s serve again, then sealed the victory with a flawless service game, winning 5-7, 6-4, 7-5 after a marathon battle lasting over three and a half hours. With this hard-earned triumph, the Swiss advances to the quarterfinals, where she will meet either Jasmine Paolini or Veronika Kudermetova for a place in the semifinals.
