By Richard Pagliaro | Thursday, March 14, 2019
Belinda Bencic defused Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, bursting into the Indian Wells semifinals and extending her winning streak to 12 matches.
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook
Creativity and chaos come to court when Belinda Bencic is in the flow.
The clever Bencic continues to drive Top 10 opponents into disarray.
More: Bencic's Bond with Federer
Bencic defused dangerous Karolina Pliskova, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, bursting into the Indian Wells semifinals for the first time and extending her winning streak to 12 matches.
The 22-year-old Swiss raised her 2019 record to 17-2, scoring her sixth straight win over a Top 10 opponent.
Top 10 opponents are endangered species against Bencic. In her last two tournaments, the Swiss all-courter has beaten three current or former world No. 1 players: Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka and Pliskova.
“It’s very difficult to make a plan against Karolina Pliskova,” Bencic told Tennis Channel’s Leif Shiras afterward. “Of course you have to be very ready on the return… at the same time focus on my serve. I think my serve was pretty good today. I did a lot of running today, I think that was necessary too.”
The red-hot former world No. 7 will return to the Top 20 when the new WTA rankings are released on Monday.
One round after Bencic deconstructed defending champion Osaka, 6-3, 6-1, in a 66-minute thrashing, she converted four of 16 break points defeating Pliskova.
Staying power and strengthened fitness has sparked the Swiss surge: Bencic raised her three-set record to 8-1 this season.
"I think I did great steps forward in the fitness side," Bencic said. "I definitely feel like I'm moving much, much better on the court than I have ever moved. And also, you know, I actually never feel like I'm getting tired or, like, more tired than my opponent on the court.
"I think that was the huge improvement. I think you definitely need it against the top of the world to be just incredibly fit and not just, like, one week but obviously many weeks in a row."
The victory vaults Bencic into the semifinals where she will face a former world No. 1—either resurgent 38-year-old Venus Williams or three-time Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber.
“I played Angie this year in Hopman Cup," Bencic said. "Venus last time in Australian Open. Obviously it's incredible to play these kind of champions in semifinal of premier mandatory tournaments. Like, it will be of course huge respect to all my opponents."
The day’s first quarterfinal provided the classic clash between one of the tour’s biggest servers in Pliskova and the sniper return of Bencic.
Hovering Hingis-like inside the baseline, Bencic took a second serve on the rise and banged a backhand return down the line breaking for 2-1.
The two-hander is Bencic’s trademark stroke, but she’s been dangerous off both wings during her winning streak. Bencic used her side-spinning forehand to drag the six-foot Czech near the sidelines. A churning forehand into the corner consolidated the break at 15.
Coach Conchita Martinez urged Pliskova to pick up the pace—both of her footwork and her swings.
“Faster legs, faster arm…come on, you can do this,” the former Wimbledon champion said.
Answering her coach’s call, Pliskova’s proactive footwork helped her earn double break point in the sixth game. Bencic quieted the uprising reeling off four points in a row pumping an ace down the middle to hold from 15-40 down for 4-2.
Sliding her seventh forehand winner into the corner, the Swiss stretched her lead to 5-3.
Thirty-three minutes into the match matters degenerated for the Australian Open semifinalist whose drop volley slid on the top of the tape before dribbling on her side for triple-set point.
On the third set point, Bencic caught her opponent covering the crosscourt forehand and shrewdly slashed her eighth forehand winner down the line seizing her second break and the 35-minute opener. Bencic hit 14 winners compared to 10 for Pliskova and committed half as many errors.
Four break points had come and gone when Pliskova broke through zapping a diagonal forehand for the break to start the second set.
Dialing in her forehand, Pliskova flattened a forehand down the line scoring her second straight break for 3-0. The former US Open finalist stretched her lead to 4-0 and was poised for a fast tear through the second set.
Bencic answered winning four of the next five games and held break points to level.
Tested serving for the set, Pliskova stood tall. Pliskova saved six of seven break points in the second set finally clinching her fifth set point to level the match after 90 minutes.
Pliskova nearly doubled Bencic’s winner output—17 to 9—in the second set.
The Swiss, who carried a 7-1 record in three-setters into the decider, set out to regain control of the baseline in the final set.
A titanic fourth game saw Pliskova repeatedly pressured as it progressed.
Staring down a second break point, Pliskova came forward behind a slice forehand and carved out a subtle forehand drop volley to save it.
Targeting the Swiss’ slice forehand return, Pliskova shot a forehand down the line to save a third break point then erased a fourth with a forehand down the line. Ultimately, Pliskova endured a 13-minute hold for 2-all.
Cumulative pressure from Bencic, who continuously stepped inside the court to cut off the angles, finally paid off. The Dubai champion converted her fourth of 16 break points breaking through for 5-3.