Belinda Bencic had a sensational start to the 2023 season, winning two titles and entering the Top 10 again.
The 26-year-old triumphed in Adelaide, before lifting the trophy also in Abu Dhabi. She was then forced to withdraw from her quarterfinal meeting with Iga Swiatek in Doha, as she wanted to avoid excessive fatigue and also prepare for the 2023 Indian Wells.
The world number 9, who was a favourite to make it deep into the tournament, started well in the doubles draw when she won the first-round match alongside her compatriot Jil Teichmann. Today, the two met on the court again, but as opponents.
Bencic, who won 15 of 18 matches that she played in 2023, started the match well. She got an early break and after adding another one, there was nothing that could stop her from winning the first set. Teichmann broke back once, but that wasn't enough, and the more-experienced Swiss player won the first set 6-3.
But her compatriot, who knows her very well, wouldn't go down without a fight. In the second set, which could go either way, Teichmann played better in the crucial moments and won it 6-3 to force a decider.
The last set was a nail-bitter and took more than an hour. Both players had plenty of break points and it all came down to execution. Eventually, Teichmann proved to be better, winning the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 and advancing to the third round.
Bencic's early exit is a major surprise, given her recent form and impressive results at Indian Wells in the past. In 2019, she reached the semi-finals of the tournament and wanted to at least repeat that also this year.
For Teichmann the focus will shift on the third-round meeting against the 22nd-seeded Shuai Zhang or a qualifier Rebecca Peterson, who will fight in the second round.
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