Bencic digs deep to win singles gold for Switzerland at Tokyo 2020
Belinda Bencic is the Tokyo 2020 Olympic women's singles champion, becoming the first Swiss woman to win a gold medal in tennis in Games history after a hard-earned three-set victory over Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova at Ariake Tennis Park.
The No. 6 seed, the daughter of Czechoslovakian immigrants, weathered an inspired performance from her unseeded opponent to prevail 7-5 2-6 6-3 and join 1992 gold medallist Marc Rosset and 2008 doubles champions Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka as the fourth Swiss player to stand on the top step of the Olympic podium.
“If I end my career now without winning any additional matches, then I would still be happy,” Bencic said. “What I have reached today no one can take away from me. I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who made this happen.”
This was a match of grit and guile, of see-sawing momentum and streaks from either side of the net. In the end, it came down to which player could keep their head and hit their marks when it mattered, and the Swiss played with greater precision with the finish line in sight.
The world No. 12 is now one step closer to completing a remarkable quest for double Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, joining compatriot Viktorija Golubic to take on Czech duo Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova in the women's doubles gold medal match on Sunday.
“It's unbelievable to have two medals – one gold already, one still to be decided,” Bencic said. “I will fight with Viki and enjoy the moment, because really it is the memories that last forever.”
It has been a stellar Olympics at Ariake Tennis Park for both the Swiss and the Czechs, each nation guaranteed two tennis medals at these Games coming into the final weekend. That the first should come from Vondrousova, the youngest of the ever-impressive Czech contingent in Tokyo, is testament to her spellbinding singles run this week.
“It's an amazing feeling, of course,” said Vondrousova, whose singles silver stands alongside the bronze medals of Jana Novotna at Atlanta 1996 and Petra Kvitova at Rio 2016.
“Today I was feeling a bit tired, but I think we played an amazing match. To have the medal is so good, I'm just too happy, I'm not going to be sad.”
From her seed-scattering opening victory over Kiki Bertens to the seismic win against No. 2 seed Naomi Osaka, and a whirlwind victory to oust Elina Svitolina in the semi-finals, the world No. 42 has been a force of nature in Tokyo. But just as she threatened to blow Bencic away after levelling the match, the Swiss 24-year-old drew her best tennis to recover from a break down in the decider and close out a tense cat-and-mouse contest in two hours, 30 minutes.
The match was an arm-wrestle from the moment Vondrousova recovered an early break in ruthless fashion to get back on serve at 1-2. By 3-3 both players had given up serve twice, a testament to the Czech’s sterling return game and sometimes shaky delivery, and a string of inviting serves from Bencic into her opponent’s lefty forehand strike zone.
Bencic began playing with more variety as the set wore on, striking in the 12th game to snatch a one-set lead on the hour as darkness set in on a sultry Saturday night on Centre Court.
Exposed at on serve in the opener, Vondrousova put on a clinic in the second set, dropping just five points on serve – one a double fault – as she piled the pressure on Bencic, who cut an increasingly frustrated figure as she suddenly struggled to inject any venom into her strokes.
Vondrousova’s forehand was proving too dangerous to test too often, limiting Bencic’s ability to open the court – and when she did, the Czech showed fine defensive skills to force the No. 6 seed to hit one more ball, time and again drawing loose errors as she gave up a second break to trail 5-1.
With the match soon level, Bencic briefly left the court before the third and returned determined to ramp up the aggression earlier in the rallies. It was a risk-reward strategy, both players again trading four breaks in the first five games, but the move allowed the 24-year-to rediscover her groove for the closing stages.
As Vondrousova tightened up, Bencic seized her chance. A break to love after some treatment to her right foot left her serving for the gold at 5-3, and after one final assault from Vondrousova, who had three chances to break back and saved one match point with a drilled backhand winner, Bencic was not to be denied, tumbling to the court as the Czech sent one last return long.
Afterwards, Bencic dedicated the gold medal to her mentors Martina Hingis and Roger Federer, both of whom have Olympic medals of their own, but not a coveted singles gold.
"Roger wrote to me today,” she revealed. “He said this is the perfect day to reach my dreams. I was really happy about that, and he was absolutely right. He's incredible in that way. He really supports all the Swiss players – it's incredible the support I receive from Roger, and this win is for him."