• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tennis Panorama

Tennis News and Information, Tournament Coverage and Features

Tennis Panorama News

Tennis news and information, tournament coverage and features

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Staff
  • RSS
  • Features
  • Tournament Coverage
  • Social Media
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • pinterest
  • Podcast
    • ITunes
  • Tennis Panorama Archive 2008-2017
You are here: Home / Front Page News / Belinda Bencic Takes Out No. 1 and Defending Champion Naomi Osaka in the US Open Fourth Round

Belinda Bencic Takes Out No. 1 and Defending Champion Naomi Osaka in the US Open Fourth Round

September 2, 2019 by Tennis Panorama News

 

Belinda Benicic photo by Chad Lominick

Belinda Bencic Takes Out No. 1 and Defending Champion Naomi Osaka in the US Open Fourth Round

(September 2, 2019) FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY – Defending champion Naomi Osaka has been knocked out of the US Open. The world No. 1 fell to No. 13 seed Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 7-5, 6-4 on Monday in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Bencic is now in the quarterfinals of the US Open for the second time. She did it in 2014.

The 13th seed, Bencic came into the match having beaten Osaka twice this year – at Indian Wells and Madrid.

The 21-year-old Bencic broke serve to open the match and had break points to go up a double break for 3-0, but Osaka fought back winning the next three games for 3-2. Both players stayed even until the 11th game when Bencic broke serve again and held to close out the first set 7-5.

In the second set, Bencic, a former member of the Top Ten, broke the Japanese player’s serve at love in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead and held on for a 7-5, 6-4 victory. Osaka had a visit from the trainer and the doctor, in the second set but not take a medical time out. She was given some medication.

“I hurt my knee in Cincinnati, but it’s getting better,” Osaka said. “I don’t want to say that that’s the reason that I lost, because I obviously had played, like, three matches before this.”

“I had to be at my top of the game so I’m really pleased with how I played and how I managed my nerves at the end, Bencic said after the match in her on-court interview.

“I’m just trying to play it a little bit like chess,” she added.

The loss for Osaka means that she will fall out of the top spot, replaced by the current No. 2 Ashleigh Barty.

“I think she played pretty clean. I think she had, like, a specific plan she wanted to execute, ” said Osaka to media.

“Right now I have this feeling of sadness, but I also feel like I have learned so much during this tournament. Honestly, of course I wanted to defend this tournament.”

Naomi Osaka photo by Chad Lominick

“I honestly didn’t move well today,” Osaka admitted.  “I felt like I was always flat-footed. Given that she’s very aggressive, of course if you’re surprised you would be on the back foot. But I have played her so many times that I’m not surprised at this point.

Yeah, I mean, the knee was a little bit annoying in the movement aspect, but I think that that’s something I should have overcome in a way that I either should have started playing more aggressively or just, like, tried to, like, hit at a higher length.

“I feel like the steps that I have taken as a person have been much greater than, like, I would imagine at this point,” Osaka added. “So I hope that I can keep growing. I know that if I keep working hard, then of course I’ll have better results.”

Bencic last reached the quarterfinals back in 2014 as a teenager. Since then she’s been up and down with injures. 

“It’s been a long way since then, for sure,” said the Swiss. “People always think I’m a little bit older than I actually am, because I’ve been here since 16, 17. I think definitely it was a good time. I learned so many things. I think it was — everyone expected to go just up. That’s not how tennis goes. I think all true athletes have to overcome obstacles, injuries, just tough times. I think it made me a stronger person, better player.”

“I just came with the same mentality like I played her before and just really focused on the game and not about the hype or the occasion, the stadium and the round, ” said Bencic.

“After the match, it feels definitely different. It feels like this was the most important one.”

On consecutive days at the US Open, the top players on both tours – Novak Djokovic and Naomi Osaka have lost.

Donna Vekic

Donna Vekic rallied from a set and a break down, saving a match point to beat German Julia Goerges, the 26th seed 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-3 in the fourth round to reach the first major quarterfinal of her career.

Goerges, serving for the match at 7-6(5), 5-4 hit 3 double-faults and did not convert on a match point, broken by Vekic broke for 5-5. Goerges’ level plummeted and Vekic won the next 2 games to take the set 7-5 and level the match at one set all.

“I think I definitely had the momentum on my side after second set,” said Vekic. “I knew she was going to be thinking about her match point, and, you know, I was just — I had few chances to break her earlier in the third set, but she was just serving amazing today. But I’m happy that I could break her and then serve it out.”

The Croatian, 23,  seeded 23, gained the crucial service break in the eighth game of the third to go up 5-3, and served out the match for the win.

The was Vekic’s first win over the German. She came into match 0-3.

This is the third time this year that the Croatian has won from match point down.

“I think definitely I change a lot mentally this year. I improved a lot in believing I could win at any given moment even when I’m match points down.

“I think in Toronto against Madison, that was just a whole ‘nother level. I was like one foot in the locker room already.

“But, yeah, I think when the matches are, like, this close, you know, even if you’re match points down, you have to believe that you can win. I was really going out there, when she was serving for 5-4, I was really thinking I could win this game and try to turn the match around.”

“I’m happy to win and I’m happy to win saving match points, happy to be first time in the quarterfinals. I’m just happy right now, ” said a glowing Vekic to media during her news conference.

Vekic will play Bencic for a place in the US Open semifinals. Bencic leads in their head-to-head match-ups at 2-1, but Vekic beat Bencic easily at the most recent French Open.

Bencic, who is good friends with Vekic talked about their match-up or former child prodigies with ups and downs. “I think it means a lot, because, she was also very good with 16, 17 won her first WTA title. Then it was, you know, the pressure and some injuries, some difficult times. Now we’re both back. It feels very nice. I’m very happy for her. But definitely I want to win.

“But still I think it will be great that one of us will be in semifinal.”

“This is really such an amazing achievement for me,” said Vekic. “I have been already three times in the fourth round, and now making my first quarterfinals, it’s amazing.

“But I think me, if this happened to me when I was 18, I would be, like, Oh, my God, this is unreal. But right now I’m, like, really happy but I’m not done. I don’t want to be done. I feel like there is still a lot to be done here, and I really want to keep going and try to win a few more matches.”

Vekic said of their quarterfinal match-up: “We always joke that we are playing each other in the draw. But we actually played in Paris. And was that the first time I beat her? I think so. We practice together often. I know her very well. She’s such a nice girl.”

“I’m really looking forward to share the court with her on Wednesday.”

September 2, 2019 – Elise Mertens reacts after beating Kristie Ahn at the 2019 US Open. (Photo by Mike Lawrence/USTA)

Elise Mertens is into her first US Open quarterfinal with a 6-1, 6-1 win over US wild card Kristie Ahn in 67 minutes.

“I’m just trying to focus every time I step on court, just trying to look at point per point.”

“I was trying to play aggressive,’ said Mertens. “That’s probably the main key. Just try to focus throughout the whole match.”

The 25th seed from Belgium hit 17 winners during the match. Mertens reached the semifinals of the Australian Open last year.
For the 27-year-old Ahn, it was 11 years ago when she first made it into the US Open as a wild card.

Talking about her potential opponents, the Belgian said: (Taylor) Townsend has great hands, coming to the net a lot. I don’t really know a lot about her. But I know from juniors actually, so I kind of know her.

Then (Bianca) Andreescu has an all-around game. She’s on fire when she’s on the court. It’s going to be really tough either way.

Related articles:

Bencic Beats Kvitova for Dubai Title

Defending Champion Naomi Osaka Stops Run of Teen CoCo Gauff to Advance to Fourth Round of US Open

Coach Talks: Dieter Kindlmann and Elise Mertens are hungry for more

Kristie Ahn Earns US Open Main Draw Wild Card by Winning US Open Wild Card Challenge

Vekic Vanquishes Victoria Azarenka At Night, Ahn And Anisimova Move On During Day In San Jose

Share

Filed Under: Features, Front Page News, tennis news, tournament coverage, tournaments Tagged With: Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic., Elise Mertens, Julia Goerges, Kristie Ahn, Naomi Osaka, tennis, tennis news, US Open

Primary Sidebar

Search Tennis Panorama


Subscribe to Tennis Panorama via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this site and receive notifications of new articles by email.

newsnow_f_ab

cheap tennis shoes from China on DHgate.com

planetbarkad

Tennis Panorama on Twitter @TennisNewsTPN

Tweets by @TennisNewsTPN

Interested in advertising on this site? Please fill out a contact form.

RSS ATP World Tour

  • After Eight Hours Stuck On The Runway, Foki Is Ready To Fly In Miami
  • Ruud Reveals Favourite WTA Player To Watch
  • Guillermo Coria On Alcaraz’s Drop Shot: 'I’m In Awe Of The Way He Does It'
  • Coaches Corner: Stine's 'Backwards Progression' To Propel Paul Forward
  • Cerundolo & Etcheverry Score Slam Dunk Meeting With Manu Ginobli

RSS WTA Tour

RSS ESPN AP Tennis Headlines

  • Gauff, Pegula advance to third round in Miami March 24, 2023
  • Raducanu, Stephens, Murray tumble in Miami March 23, 2023
  • No. 1 Swiatek out of Miami Open with rib injury March 22, 2023
  • Belarus' Sabalenka: Faced 'hate' in locker room March 22, 2023
  • Giorgi overcomes 14 double-faults to oust Kanepi March 22, 2023

More Tennis Sites

15-lovetennis (French website)

ATP World Tour

BBC Tennis

ESPN

Jon Wertheim Sports Illustrated

International Tennis Federation (ITF)

New York Times Tennis page

Tennis Atlantic

Tennis Channel

Tennis with an Accent

Tennis Identity
USA Today

Tennis TV

WTA

ZooTennis.com






Footer

Subscribe to Tennis Panorama via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this website and receive notifications of new posts by email.

March 2023
S M T W T F S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Jan    

Categories

© by TennisPanorama 2014 and beyond
 

Loading Comments...