Tennis

Belinda Bencic follows lead of Martina Hingis in stunning win

With friend and mentor Martina Hingis watching and cheering from her box in Arthur Ashe Stadium, teenage phenom Belinda Bencic followed in Hingis’ footsteps and fought her way into U.S. Open history. Little Swiss Miss, perhaps?

The 17-year-old Bencic knocked off ninth-seeded Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (6), 6-3, and became the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals in Flushing since — coincidentally — Hingis in 1997 (also at 17). Bencic is coached by Hingis’ mother, Melanie Molitor, and Sunday night she put on a performance to be proud of.

“It was always a dream to play on this court,’’ said Bencic, the youngest player to reach the quarters in a Grand Slam since Nicole Vaidisova at the 2006 French Open. “I was overwhelmed. Everything was so huge.”

But the moment wasn’t too huge, at least not for her.

She was facing set point in the first set, with Jankovic leading 5-3. But it was the more experienced Jankovic who choked away a golden opportunity, falling down on a chance to break Bencic’s serve. Then Jankovic blew a pair of set points on her own serve, getting beaten by Bencic’s backhand return and seeing another land on the line.

“It was up to me. I had to raise my level. I needed to play a lot better on those important moments,’’ Jenkovic said. “I was serving for the set. There’s no excuse for that, I should’ve served it out. I had everything in my hands in my control. I just let it slip away. … That’s what separates the better players from the rest. You’ve got to play those big points well and tonight I did not do that.

“I had my chances serving for three set points. What more can I ask for? It’s up to me to do it, but I didn’t. She took advantage of that and I went downhill.’’

Bencic went on to her second straight upset of a Top 10 foe — after beating No. 6 Angelique Kerber in the third round — and to a date against China’s Peng Shuai, who beat Lucie Safarova 6-3, 6-4 and hasn’t lost a set in four matches.

“It was amazing. At the beginning I was too impressed. I didn’t play well. I was not nervous, but just overwhelmed from everything. After I got used to it,’’ said Bencic, who got a pre-match scouting report from Hingis. “Yeah, for sure, I got some advice because she played her and knows her so well. … She told me to hold the rallies. I have to be aggressive. I had to pay attention to her backhand down the line. I knew she was doing that a lot … so I tried to push it to her forehand.’’