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‘It’s not the brain, it’s just instinct’ – Belinda Bencic’s ‘chess’ tactics on display at US Open

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NEW YORK, NY, USA – In the world of sports metaphors, tennis matches are often discussed with the same terminology used to describe warfare: two ‘warriors’ take the court to do ‘battle’ and ‘fight’ for a victory.

For Belinda Bencic, it’s always been a bit more like a game of chess.

Standing at 5’9” (1.75 m), Bencic isn’t the tallest, and the 22-year-old Swiss player freely admits that she’s not the most powerful player, either. But what she lacks in firepower, she makes up for in smart tactics and anticipation, to great success: at the US Open, the No.13 seed stunned defending champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals.

Read more: ‘My game matches up well agaisnt hers’ – Brilliant Bencic ends Osaka title defense again at US Open 

It’s Bencic’s third victory over Osaka this year, and the second time she’s halted the World No.1’s title defense efforts after scoring a similar stunner at the BNP Paribas Open

“Before the match, I didn’t think it was different. After the match, it definitely felt different,” Bencic admitted in her post-match press conference when asked to compare the two victories. “I just came with the same mentality like I played her before and just really focused on the game and not about the hype or the occasion, the stadium and the round. 

“After the match, it feels definitely different. It feels like this was the most important one.”

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