Belinda Bencic’s winning ways continue—Another big-name victim falls

Belinda Bencic continued her impressive form, eliminating 18th seed Amanda Anisimova 6-4, 7-5 to keep her Indian Wells run alive. The match promised to be a thrilling showdown between the recent WTA 1000 Dubai champion and the former Olympic gold medalist from Tokyo 2020.

Since her comeback, Bencic has been in remarkable form, rapidly climbing the WTA rankings. The Swiss now boasts a 15-4 record this season and has already secured her first title of the year at the WTA 500 Abu Dhabi. With this latest win, Bencic is on the verge of re-entering the top 50, currently sitting at No. 53 in the live rankings.

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Her inspiring resurgence is shaping up to be one of the standout stories of the 2025 season. After taking a year off for maternity leave, Bencic has been nothing short of exceptional, claiming victories over top players like Marketa Vondrousova, Elena Rybakina, Jelena Ostapenko, Naomi Osaka, and now Anisimova, who recently won her maiden WTA 1000 title just weeks ago.

First Set

Bencic came out firing, securing back-to-back breaks early and winning 17 of the first 23 points. Her dominance on serve was evident, winning 67% of points on her first serve and 64% on her second.

Despite racing to a 4-0 lead, Anisimova found her rhythm, reclaiming one break and saving three set points to close the gap to 4-5. However, Bencic held her nerve, winning four straight points on serve to seal the set 6-4.

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Second Set

Bencic looked particularly motivated, aware that a win over Anisimova would be a significant statement. Both players exchanged early breaks, but it was Anisimova who pulled ahead 3-1 after securing a second consecutive break. The American gained control of the rallies, stepping inside the baseline and overwhelming Bencic with her powerful forehand.

The Swiss, however, fought back, breaking to level the set. At 4-4, the match saw its longest game, with Anisimova saving two break points in an intense 18-point battle to stay even at 5-5. The Swiss had a golden opportunity to close out the match in straight sets. She led 6-5 in the second, serving for victory, but Anisimova fought back, breaking to force a tiebreak, where the American quickly took control and secured it 7-6(7-3).

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Third Set

After a tightly contested battle, the match was set for a decisive third set. However, Anisimova’s momentum faded rapidly as she gifted Bencic an early break opportunity. The Swiss capitalized immediately and surged to a 3-0 lead within minutes, maintaining her dominance on serve.

After more than two hours on court, Bencic secured a second break and wrapped up the set comfortably, 6-1. The world No. 58 fired four aces and committed two double faults, while Anisimova struggled with consistency, hitting five aces but eight double faults and winning just 35% of points on her second serve.

The Tokyo 2020 gold medalist now awaits the winner between Alycia Parks and 13th seed Diana Shnaider in the next round.

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