The third round of the BNP Paribas Open saw Timea Bacsinszky get past Kiki Bertens in a thriller that was decided in a third-set tiebreak, saving four match points along the way after missing five of her own in both the second and final sets.

Bacsinszky holds onto her lead

Some early struggles came from Bertens as she was unable to get her returns into play and hit several unforced errors, gifting Bacsinszky the service hold to love in the opening game of the match. Errors continued to cost Bertens greatly as she soon found herself down two break points in her opening service game, and smashed an overhead shot into the net to allow Bacsinszky to get the early advantage, opening up an early 2-0 lead. The bright sun seemed to be affecting Bertens as she hit yet another smash into the net, giving Bacsinszky two game points.

Everything was going well for the Swiss in the opening stages | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
Everything was going well for the Swiss in the opening stages | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America

An abundance of unforced errors was the reason of Bertens’ struggles once more, with the Swiss consolidating the break of serve with a comfortable service hold to extend her lead to three games after just eight minutes of play. Bertens finally earned a confidence-boosting service hold as she relied on her strong serves to get herself onto the scoreboard, lessening the deficit to two games. An amazing return off a drop shot paved the way for the 2016 Roland Garros semifinalist to break serve and Bertens eventually returned level on serve all of a sudden after a backhand was sent wide by the Swiss.

Bacsinszky regained the lead as soon as possible after she came from 0-30 down to win four consecutive points and take a 4-2 lead, looking to close out the set. She then had to prevail in a tough service game as Bertens managed to get to deuce twice in the game but was unable to earn any break points, allowing Bacsinszky to narrowly hold serve and be just a game away from winning the first set. The Swiss eventually served the set out comfortably as she looked poised for a routine victory to progress to the fourth round.

Kiki Bertens seemed to be affected by the heat | Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography
Kiki Bertens seemed to be affected by the heat | Photo: Jimmie48 Tennis Photography

Bertens mounts improbable comeback

After looking on course for a comfortable service hold as Bertens had two game points on her serve, Bacsinszky stormed back to win four straight points to get the early break and led by a set and a break. Facing some troubles when trying to consolidate the break, Bacsinszky managed to save a break point with a wonderfully-executed backhand winner which eventually allowed her to consolidate the break and extend her lead in the second set to two games.

The Swiss originally had the chance for a double break lead but failed to convert as Bertens stepped up her game and secured a crucial service hold to prevent herself from lagging further behind in the scoreboard. Bacsinszky did not seem to be affected by the loss of the game as she earned an easy service hold which allowed her to regain the two-game lead. Some amazing defense then gave Bacsinszky the second break of serve in the second set, having the formidable double break advantage and a 4-1 lead.

Timea Bacsinszky wasted a huge lead in the second set | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
Timea Bacsinszky wasted a huge lead in the second set | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America

Bertens started to mount a comeback from there on as she got one of the breaks back immediately and followed it up with an encouraging hold of serve from 15-30 down, lessening the deficit to just one game after an effective on-court coaching session with her coach. Bacsinszky then fended off a break point opportunity to stop Bertens’ run and hold her serve to be just a game away from the victory. Serving to stay in the match, the world number 20 came from 0-30 down to prevail in the nervy service game, extending the set for at least one more game.

Failure to find her first serves at the crucial moments cost Bacsinszky greatly as she lost her way from being 40-15 up and owning two match points, being broken from there and Bertens returned level on the scoreboard all of a sudden. Bertens then held her serve to take the lead for the first time in the match as she threatened to complete the comeback by breaking serve next. She did just so, as Bacsinszky faltered under the pressure and lost her serve for the second straight time to let Bertens return level in the match at one set all.

Kiki Bertens managed to produce an improbable comeback | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
Kiki Bertens managed to produce an improbable comeback | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America

Bacsinszky comes from 2-5 down and saves three match points to triumph

Bertens began the final set with a comfortable service hold to love, with her serve looking more solid than before. Bacsinszky then replied with a service hold of her own as she prevailed in a nervy game which saw Bertens get to deuce twice, unable to earn a break point opportunity. Bacsinszky fell into deep trouble when she was broken to love after a lengthy medical time-out for her opponent and looked to be out of sorts as Bertens was able to dictate play every single point.

The Dutch then consolidated the break with a comfortable service hold as her strong serves managed to overpower the Swiss, taking a formidable 4-1 lead in the final set. Bacsinszky stopped the rout when she barely held onto her service game to lessen the deficit to just two games. Bertens then continued her push for the victory as she fended off two break points in a marathon 15-points game, placing herself in an advantageous position to close out the match.

Kiki Bertens would rue the missed match points today | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
Kiki Bertens would rue the missed match points today | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America

Serving to stay in the match, Bacsinszky held her serve to 15 as she extended the match for at least one more game, forcing Bertens to serve the match out herself. A failed backhand down the line attempt from Bertens then gave Bacsinszky the break back having wasted a total of three match points of her own, with the Swiss returning level on serve all of a sudden. With Bertens looking exceptionally frustrated with herself, Bacsinszky took the advantage and had the comfortable service hold to make the scores level at 5-5 as her forehand improved drastically over the last few games.

Bertens finally stopped the rout in the 11th game as she maintained her composure to hold her serve and be a game away from the victory once again. A nervy service hold then paved the way for a final set tiebreak as Bacsinszky held her nerves once more to hold serve and extend the match into a tiebreak at 6-6. Bertens earned the first mini-break of the tiebreak at 1-1 when she hit an amazing volley winner to get the early advantage. Nevertheless, with the determination and fighting spirit she displayed, Bacsinszky was not willing to go down so easily and got that mini-break back in the next point, returning level on the scoreboard.

Timea Bacsinszky's reaction after the match | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
Timea Bacsinszky's reaction after the match | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America

The Dutch was the one who made the next breakthrough at 3-3 as she edged closer to the tough victory, but was pegged back immediately once again as the Swiss managed to level the scores immediately. Bertens then sent a big forehand wide, giving Bacsinszky the lead in the tiebreak for the first time. This gave Bacsinszky the golden chance to close out the match as if she had won both of her service points, she would seal up the match. After winning the first point, the Swiss earned two match points once more after her second set nightmares, but Bertens managed to save both of them again to make the scores level at 6-6.

An excellent serve then gave Bertens her fourth match point of the match, which she failed to convert after hitting a passing forehand shot into the net. Using her backhand to dictate play, Bacsinszky managed to take advantage of an unforced error by Bertens to earn her fifth match point of the match, hoping to convert it this time. Some great defense almost won her the match, but her forehand barely went wide as the scores went to 8-8, with the winner still not decided yet. The Swiss finally closed out the marathon as she took 3 hours and 21 minutes to triumph in three sets, taking the last two points in the match where she could have closed it out two hours ago, saving four match points along the way.

Timea Bacsinszky applauds the supportive crowd | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
Timea Bacsinszky applauds the supportive crowd | Photo: Harry How/Getty Images North America
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About the author
Don Han
Don Han is a young tennis writer who aspires to be a full-time sports journalist in the future, supporting Russian players along the way.