Belinda Bencic shared a short message after withdrawing from her Doha quarterfinal match as the Swiss confirmed she plans to rest for a few days and return to action next week in Dubai. Bencic, 25, made it all the way in Abu Dhabi last week after edging out Liudmila Samsonova in a thriller final that lasted nearly three hours.
Still, Bencic decided to compete in Doha this week, where she beat Viktoria Tomova and Victoria Azarenka to reach the quarterfinal. Against Azarenka, Bencic recovered from a set and a double break down to beat the Belarusian in a match that lasted two hours and 45 minutes.
After yet another long and exhausting battle, Bencic decided to give a walkover to Iga Swiatek in their Doha quarterfinal match. “Thank you Doha, @qatartennis. Sorry to have to withdraw today, now some rest and getting ready for Dubai,” Bencic wrote on Twitter after the news of her Doha withdrawal.
Thank you Doha ð¶ð¦ @qatartennis
Sorry to have to withdraw today, now some rest and getting ready for Dubai ðª«ð§ð½âï¸ð§ð½âï¸ðð¼âï¸ðð½âï¸ð pic.twitter.com/ChcKwisPrQ — Belinda Bencic (@BelindaBencic) February 16, 2023
Bencic needs a short rest
It has been a really strong start to the season for Bencic, who has already won two titles.
After winning the Adelaide International 2, Bencic also claimed the title in Abu Dhabi. In the Abu Dhabi final, Bencic pulled off a magnificent comeback as she saved three championship points en route to clinching a 1-6 7-6 (8) 6-4 win over Samsonova.
“It’s been a really tight match, and I’m happy to turn these match points around. I just really tried hanging in there and scramble for every point, and just do my best. I’m really happy to walk away with the title here and I think I played some really good matches, but they were also tough.
I proved to myself that I can really fight hard and just stay in the matches and somehow turn it around,” Bencic said following her Abu Dhabi triumph. It remains to be seen if Bencic can make another deep run next week in Dubai.
