Belinda Bencic just barely avoided blowing a major third-set lead and suffering a catastrophic Ningbo round-of-16 loss after ultimately finding a way to close out 131st-ranked qualifier Yulia Starodubtseva 5-7 6-4 7-5.
The sixth-seeded Swiss controlled the match early on, but then stunningly failed to convert a set point on her serve at 5-4 before losing her serve once again in the 12th game and dropping the first set.
Down by a set, Bencic broke Starodubtseva twice to open a 5-2 second-set lead. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist failed to serve out for the second set in her first attempt - even faced a break point at 5-4 - but managed to save it and ultimately force a decider.
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Bencic complicated but won the third set to progress into the Ningbo quarterfinal
After taking the second set, Bencic claimed two breaks to take what appeared to be a very comfortable 5-2 lead in the third set. But then, the No. 6 seed blew two match points in the eighth game. To make it even more complicated, the Swiss also didn't manage to serve out for the match in her second attempt as Starodubtseva stunningly tied the decider to five games apiece.
Fortunately for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist, she stayed calm - registered her third break of the set in the 11th game for a 6-5 lead - and finally managed to seal the win in the following game.
It is worth mentioning that Starodubtseva received a medical timeout for a leg issue early in the third set. However, she was able to resume the match.
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In the Ningbo quarterfinal, Bencic plays against the winner of the match between No. 2 seed Jasmine Paolini and Veronika Kudermetova. The Swiss tennis star is playing at the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo for the first time in her career.
