TORONTO, (Reuters) – Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic capped a brilliant run to the Rogers Cup title on Sunday when a distressed second seed Simona Halep retired from the final after losing the first three games of the third set.
Bencic needed nearly two hours and 30 minutes on a sweltering centre court to see off a determined Halep 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 3-0 and claim the biggest title of her young career, putting down a marker as a player to watch at the upcoming U.S. Open.
The 18-year-old’s Rogers Cup debut was a memorable one as Bencic’s drive to the title included a stunning semi-final upset of world number one Williams and two former number ones in fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki and fifth seed Ana Ivanovic.
“I’m really sorry it had to end like this, I am really sorry for Simona, I hope she will be fine for the next tournament,” said Bencic, the first Swiss woman to reach the final of the Rogers Cup since her mentor Martina Hingis in 2006.
“For me it has been an incredible week, I cannot believe it. A win is a win and I had to fight really hard today.”
It was Bencic’s second title in two months, following her breakthrough win at the Aegon International on grass in England in June. She arrived in Toronto ranked 20th in the world.
Halep produced a gutsy effort but the Romanian appeared in trouble right from the start as she struggled with the heat and a sore left thigh that required treatment throughout the match, including a medical time out when medical staff checked her blood pressure.