Japan's World No. 1 out after losing 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 to Swiss Bencic in quarters
Belinda Bencic after her win over Naomi Osaka yesterday. Pic/AFP
Belinda Bencic knocked top seed Naomi Osaka out in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open yesterday with a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 comeback win. It was the second victory in two months for the Swiss over Japan's world number one after Bencic shocked Osaka at Indian Wells in March.
Osaka served for the match in the third set leading 5-4 but could not touch a backhand return winner off the Bencic racquet. Bencic was the first Swiss woman to play a Madrid quarter-final since Patty Schnyder 10 years ago.
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Japan's Naomi Osaka during her quarter-final against Switzerland's Belinda Bencic at the Madrid Open yesterday. Pic/Getty Images
Federer survives scare
Meanwhile, Roger Federer saved two match points to defeat France's Gael Monfils 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 yesterday to reach the quarter-finals. Federer trailed 4-2 in the deciding set before levelling at 4-4. The 20-time Grand Slam winner then saved match points in the 12th game before sweeping through the tiebreaker to record his 1,200th career win.
Federer, playing his first clay court tournament in three years, will face Austrian fifth seed and recent Barcelona champion Dominic Thiem today for a place in the semi-
finals.
Djokovic advances
Earlier, Novak Djokovic defeated Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 7-6 (7/2). The Serb top seed needed less than 90 minutes to reach the quarter-finals at the Caja Magica, beating Chardy for the 13th time in as many attempts.
Djokovic holds a record against the French, standing 66-2 against them since leading Serbia to the 2010 Davis Cup title over France. Djokovic is searching for his top clay form as he begins the chase a fourth straight Grand Slam title when Roland Garros starts in little over two weeks.
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