WTA St. Petersburg: Belinda Bencic Defeats Annika Beck In Straight Sets

For the first time in her career, Belinda Bencic is the number one seed at a WTA tournament. After having a bye in the first round, the Swiss player faced off against Annika Beck in the second round of the tournament in St. Petersburg.

Bencic Takes the First Set After a Tiebreak

As the top seed in the tournament, Bencic would have been hoping to get off to a strong start against her German opponent. However, the match got off to a poor start for Bencic, as she got broken in the very first game.

In the next game, Beck had the chance to put herself 2-0 up in the set. The young German failed to capitalize on this opportunity though, losing her service game to love. Despite getting broke in the previous game, Beck was soon back in the ascendancy as she broke Bencic's serve on her first opportunity once again.

With the first three games resulting in breaks of serve, many were questioning whether either player would actually manage to win a game whilst they were serving. The fourth game did bring around a hold of serve, as Beck fought of three break points to hold her service game and consolidate the break.

At a break down, Bencic had to hold her own serve to give herself a chance in the set. The young Swiss player was made to work hard by Beck, who had five break point opportunities all of which she failed to capitalize on. The number one seed eventually managed to hold her service game, keeping her within touching distance of her opponent.

The sixth game brought Bencic back level in the set, as she broke Beck's service game on her third break point, bringing the score to 3-3. The next two games resulted in breaks of serve, as both players capitalized on their first break point opportunity to take the game.

Bencic and Beck both held their service games to love in the ninth and tenth games of the set, taking the score to 5-5. Momentum was soon with the German player, as she broke Bencic to give herself a 6-5 lead and the chance to serve for the set.

Whilst serving for the set, Beck soon found herself 40-15 down. Unfortunately for the German, she could not save the break point opportunity, allowing Bencic to level the score and take the set to a tie break.

During the tie break, Bencic managed to get an early mini break, before racing to a 4-1 lead. Beck fought hard and put pressure on her opponent by winning the two points on her service game, to put her one point behind Bencic. The efforts of Beck were not enough though, as the number one seed took the tie break and the set with her first set point opportunity.

Bencic Too Strong For Battling Beck

The start of the second set was completely different to that of the first, as both players managed to hold their service games. Bencic gained the upper hand in the set as she took her second break point opportunity to give herself a 2-1 lead.

Bencic managed to consolidate the break in the next game, despite Beck's best efforts to break back. The German had three break point opportunities in the game, all of which she did not capitalize on.

There was not another break of serve until the seventh game in the set. Beck was serving to keep within a game away of Bencic; however the young Swiss was too strong for Beck. Bencic took her first break point opportunity, to give herself a 5-2 lead and the opportunity to serve for the set.

Despite being a double break down, Beck was not willing to go out without a fight. The young German, worked hard to get herself a break point opportunity, which she managed to take. With one of the breaks retrieved, Beck seemed to have some momentum going into her service game.

Even with Beck's best effort she could not stop Bencic breaking her serve once again. Failing to serve the match out in the game before, clearly didn't affect Bencic, as she confidently took the break point, to win the game, set and match after an hour and 41 minutes.

Bencic will face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the Quarterfinals.