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By Richard Pagliaro | Wednesday, February 22, 2017

 
CiCi Bellis

CiCi Bellis scored the biggest win of her life, upsetting Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Photo credit: Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

When she’s not traveling the world playing the pro circuit, CiCi Bellis is home schooled.

Today, the 17-year-old American showed she’s an avid student of all-court tennis.

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Playing with conviction and clarity on key points, Bellis stunned fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2, roaring into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarterfinals.

“I mean, I really can’t believe it right now. I really appreciate all the support from you guys,” a beaming Bellis told the crowd afterward. “It really helped a lot. I feel like I’m really playing some of my best tennis right now and having the biggest win of my life in Dubai really means a lot to me.”

Facing a Top 10 opponent for the fourth time in her brief career, Bellis wasn’t exactly awe-struck by the experience. She competed with belief and proved she belonged with the world No. 6.



Light on her feet and quick closing on the ball, Bellis showed a willingness to step into the court and take the attack to the former Wimbledon finalist.

The world No. 70 took the ball earlier, hit it harder, attacked her shots with purpose and exuded positive energy for much of the match.

“My coach and hitting partner talked before the match we just said focus on me and focus on my game,” Bellis said. “Because obviously, she’s an amazing player so just more focus on the ball. (Playing tennis), it’s my favorite thing ever.”

Bellis hammered an overhead holding with a clenched fist for 2-2.

Serving in the seventh game, Radwanska tried testing the teenager with angled drop shots, but Bellis was up to the task earning the first break for 4-3.

Prowling the baseline, Bellis bent low and drilled a diagonal forehand winner. The longest exchange of the match saw Bellis mix her drives with a timely lob and a heavy defensive topspin forehand drawing the error to back up the break for 5-3.

Thirty-nine minutes into the match, Bellis stepped up to serve for the set. Bolting a backhand winner down the line followed by a forehand dagger down the same sideline, Bellis earned double-set point.




A fired-up Bellis belted another backhand winner down the line erupting with an extended “come on!” snatching a one-set lead after 42 minutes. Bellis nearly doubled Radwanska’s winner output, 13 to 7, in the opening set.

Coach Tomasz Wiktorowski came out to talk to a concerned Radwanska, who rubbed her hands while listening to her coach’s exhortations.

Then Radwanska put her feel to effective use mixing in some slice and off-pace shots to disrupt the teenager’s rhythm.

Radwanska slashed an ace to take a 2-1 second-set lead. Exhibiting more proactive court positioning, Radwanska spun a backhand winner down the line and broke for 3-1 when Bellis flattened a forehand into net.

By the time Radwanska held at 15 for 5-2 she’d won 12 of the last 13 points played on her serve.

Fighting off a serve into the hip, Radwanska hit a diagonal backhand return for set point. Bellis spit up her fourth double fault as Radwanska evened the match after 72 minutes, committing just six errors in the set compared to 18 for her opponent.

A recharged Bellis came right back breaking to open the final set.

Determined sideline-to-sideline defense helped Bellis grind through a 20-shot rally. She put a backhand off the back of the line consolidating in a physical deuce game for 2-0.

During a draining two double-fault game that featured a 23-shot rally, Radwanska blew a 40-15 lead but fought through holding with a forehand down the line.

When Bellis scattered a forehand, Radwanska was back on serve. But that was the last game she won.

Another two double fault game, including her sixth double on break point, saw Radwanska gift the break and a 3-2 lead. Bellis powered through a quick hold at 15 for 4-2.

Serving for the biggest win of her life, Bellis came back from 15-30 down drawing a pair of errors and ending with a wide smile. “Competing and playing tournaments and having moments like these, it’s what I work for,” said Bellis, who will play either Caroline Wozniacki or Kateryna Bondarenko in the quarterfinals. “I think it’s gonna be fun and a great match no matter what.”

In a rematch of the Olympic gold-medal final, Angelique Kerber carved up Monica Puig, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the Dubai quarterfinals for the first time.

An erratic Puig missed a backhand wide on match point. Kerber played cleaner tennis and denied all five break points she faced. 

"It's tough to play against Monica," Kerber said. "We played a very good match in Rio; she played an unbelievable match. Today I’m really happy about my performance. I’m happy to be in the next round. I was trying just to focus on the next point trying to serve good and move good as well. It was a tough match, but I’m through it."

Kerber will play Croatian teenager Ana Konjuh for a semifinal spot.

The 19-year-old Konjuh cracked six of her eight aces in the final set subduing eighth-seeded Elena Vesnina, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4), to advance to her second quarterfinal of the season. Konjuh, who was runner-up to Lauren Davis in Auckland last month, is playing for her second semifinal of the season. 

World No. 46 Davis rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Ekaterina Makarova .



The left-handed Russian took an eight-minute bathroom break before the start of the third set. The delay did not deter Davis, who saved five of six break points she faced in the final set and seven of 10 break points in the match.

"I love playing here— it's my first time here in an amazing city, the atmosphere here is so great," Davis said afterward. "I'm really happy with my persistence, resilience and how I handled myself despite losing a few games in a row."

It’s the third straight match in which Davis battled back from a set down.

The 23-year-old Ohio native will play Elina Svitolina for a semifinal spot.



The seventh-seeded Svitolina stopped Christina McHale, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to her third quarterfinal in four tournaments this season.

The Taipei City champion is bidding for her second straight Dubai semifinal.

A year ago, Svitolina defeated Garbine Muguruza and CoCo Vandeweghe in succession before bowing to eventual-champion Sara Errani in the semifinals.

Qiang Wang swept Kristina Mladenovic 6-1, 6-4, the day after the St. Petersburg champion knocked second-seeded Karolina Pliskova out of the draw.


 

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