Teenage sensation Belinda Bencic capped a giant-killing run in Toronto by upsetting world No 3 Simona Halep in the final of the Rogers Cup.
The 18-year-old equaled
the achievement of her mentor Martina Hingis, who claimed the title at the same
age in 1999.
A distressed Halep was
forced to retire with a leg injury trailing 7-6, 6-7, 3-0 after nearly two and
a half hours of grueling tennis in sweltering Toronto heat.
The Swiss never had it
easy en route to the biggest title of her career. She beat four of the world’s
top six, with Halep joined on her list of victims by Serena Williams, Caroline
Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic. Bencic has now won 21 of her past 25
matches.
‘I have really enjoyed
every match here,’ she said on BT Sport 2. ‘Even if I’d lost, it would have
been an amazing experience.’
‘I couldn’t play anymore. I tried very much but it wasn’t possible.’ She then told Bencic: ‘You were a great fighter today. Well done and all the best.’
The world No 20’s win was
all the more impressive coming the day after an exhausting comeback win against
Williams.
It was only the 21-time
Grand Slam champion’s second defeat in 45 matches this season.
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