Bencic saves three match points to clinch Abu Dhabi title

Belinda Bencic of Switzerland returns the ball during her Women's Singles final match against Liudmila Samsonova of Russia in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in Abu Dhabi on Feb.12, 2023. (AFP)

Spectators attend the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open Women's Singles final match between Liudmila Samsonova and Belinda Bencic at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi on Feb.12, 2023. (AFP)

Liudmila Samsonova of Russia returns the ball during her Women's Singles final match against Belinda Bencic of Switzerland in the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 12, 2023. (AFP)

• Bencic defeated 19th-ranked Russian player Samsonova for the first time in four meetings

ABU DHABI: Olympic champion Belinda Bencic saved three match points to defeat Liudmila Samsonova in the Abu Dhabi final on Sunday for the eighth title of her career.
The 25-year-old world number nine came through 1-6, 7-6 (10/8), 6-4, saving the three championship points in a marathon second-set tiebreak.
It was Bencic’s second title of 2023 after her win in Adelaide while she also became the tour leader in match-wins this season, with her 12 passing Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.
“It’s been a really tight match, and I’m happy to turn these match points around,” said Bencic.
“I just really tried hanging in there and scramble for every point, and just do my best. I proved to myself that I can really fight hard and just stay in the matches and somehow turn it around.”
Bencic defeated 19th-ranked Russian player Samsonova for the first time in four meetings having lost in the 2021 Berlin final, Luxembourg and the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.
Before Sunday, Samsonova was a perfect 4-0 in championship matches.