We will get a new US Open champion in both men’s and women’s singles this year. After Novak Djokovic exited the tournament due to a shoulder injury on Monday, Naomi Osaka followed the same day, being eliminated No.13 ranked Swiss Belinda Bencic.
Osaka entered the match as an overwhelming favorite, having lost only one game in the previous three rounds at the tournament. Still, that didn’t matter as Bencic won the first set 7-5 and closed out the match in second with 6-4.
This was the third time Bencic has beaten Osaka this year, coming out victorious from their duels at BNP Paribas Open and Matua Madrid Open as well.
Osaka entered the match with a nagging injury, but didn’t want to attribute her loss to that.
“I don’t want to say that that’s the reason that I lost, because I obviously had played three matches before this,” – Osaka told reporters. “Yeah, I just needed to take a painkiller.”
Bencic, on the other side, had one day extra of rest as her third-round opponent Anett Kontaveit retired before their match even started. She had fresh legs, and that was visible on her game, as the 22-year-old dominated the match and allowed Osaka only one opportunity to break a set.
“I was so excited to come on the court, the challenge could not be bigger so I had to be on top of my game,” – said Bencic after the match. “I’m really pleased with how I played and how I managed my nerves in the end.”
Belinda Bencic will now face the 23rd ranked Donna Vekic in the quarterfinals.
