Belinda Bencic recorded her first-ever victory over Leylah Fernandez as the Olympic champion battled to a three-set win at the Guadalajara Open,
Tenth-seeded Bencic gets a tough start at the WTA 1000 against Fernandez, a player she has lost to in their previous two meetings.
most recently at Roland Garros earlier this year.However, the Swiss "learned something from last time" as she won 7-5, 6-7 (10-12), 6-3 to keep her hopes.
Bencic broke in the third game but the Canadian was back on serve in the eighth game and then had three set points in game 10. However,
Bencic had the last laugh of the set when she broke again in the 11th game.After trading breaks in the second set,
it was a tie-break and Bencic initially dominated and had five match points, but Fernandez held firm and eventually leveled at a set apiece.
Bencic then had a break in the second game to decide, but they were back on serve in the next game, only for the Swiss to get a decisive break in the sixth game.
Bencic said"I think every match with Leylah is going to be very close. “She plays very well and it's hard to find a rhythm against her. I'm glad I learned something.