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Rising Danish star Clara Tauson admitted it wasn't easy competing against former world No. 4 Belinda Bencic but she was happy that she managed to pull off an upset win in Doha. Tauson, who is enjoying a career-high ranking of No.
33 in the world, edged out Bencic 6-4 3-6 6-3 to reach the Doha second round. It was the first meeting between Tauson and Bencic. "It was a very tough match. I know Belinda is playing very well so I had to play my best today, and I did sometimes," Tauson said on-court after the match.
"I have my confidence but every match is really tough at this level, so I'm doing my best."
Tauson kept her focus after losing the second set
Bencic claimed the first break of the match in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead but Tauson responded with earning back-to-back breaks to win four games in a row and steal the opener.
Tauson started the second set with a break but then lost the following four games as Bencic took a 4-1 lead, before serving out for a decider in the ninth game. After losing the second set, Tauson claimed the first break of the third set in the fourth game and served out for the match in the ninth game.
Bencic was playing her first tournament since losing in the St. Petersburg quarterfinal. Two weeks ago, Bencic revealed she was diagnosed with "something in her lungs." "It was not easy," Bencic said in St. Petersburg. "I have been diagnosed with something in my lungs which is not normal.
And still, I'm happy I can play but it's going to take me a while to recover—they said about two, three months. "I think it happens with a lot of athletes that your fitness, it's not the same level. "So, it's very tough but I have to, you know, just work with what I have."