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Belinda Bencic could not be happier after Switzerland won the Billie Jean King Cup Finals as she admitted that last year's heartbreak in the competition was a hard pill to swallow. A year ago, Switzerland lost the final to the Russian Tennis Federation and Bencic admitted she cried like never before in her tennis career.
This past week in Glasgow, Switzerland won this year's Billie Jean King Cup Finals title. After Switzerland defeated Australia in the final, Bencic was asked if last year's heartbreak gave the extra motivation to the team to go a step further this year.
"Yes! We were finalists last year and we were so heartbroken. I don’t think I’ve ever cried so much. But in the locker she [Teichmann] came to me and said that next year we’re going to take it. And we did! I’m so incredibly proud," Bencic said, per the Billie Jean King Cup website.
Bencic: I will never forget this
In the opening match of the final, Jil Teichmann defeated Storm Sanders 6-3 4-6 6-3. After Teichmann got the job done in the first set, Bencic defeated Ajla Tomljanovic 6-2 6-1 to secure the victory for Switzerland.
“It was nerve-wracking. I gave so much energy in Jil’s match because I was trying to push her so much. Storm was playing incredible. Jil was amazing, she refused to lose and fought with everything she had. I was so inspired and I tried to do the same thing," Bencic said.
Last year, Bencic brought the gold medal to Switzerland after winning the Tokyo Olympics. “We will remember Glasgow for the rest of our lives," Bencic added. Meanwhile, Swiss captain Heinz Guenthardt admitted this triumph was probably extra sweet because of the way Switzerland fell just short of winning it all last year.
"It's extremely sweet. Maybe it's even sweeter after last year," Guenthardt said. Bencic has had lots of success representing Switzerland. With Switzerland, Bencic has won the Billie Jean King Cup, Olympics and Hopman Cup.