Bank of the West Classic, Stanford

[203] Catherine Bellis (USA) vs. [204] Sachia Vickery (USA)

One ranking spot separated them; however, there was a tremendous difference in their games.  Bellis despite her inexperience plays with the confidence of a veteran.  It’s obvious in the way Bellis struts around the court that she believes she is ready to play in the Major League.  Vickery, slightly more experienced, struggles to play at the level she is capable of because of doubt.   Despite the topsy- turvy nature of this match, it was very entertaining and you could see the talent of both players.  Although still a teenager, Bellis was the more mentally stable.  She shrugged off her mistakes much quicker than her opponent and quickly recovered her focus for the subsequent point(s).

Vickery got stuck in her mental ruminations and inevitably made a slew of errors.  This match was also a test of physical fitness and Vickery seemed on the verge of cramping, which is not always a sign of a lack of conditioning.  Cramping can sometimes occur because a player in so tense/anxious that their muscles fatigue quicker.  That was probably the case today as Vickery was not only expected to win despite the slightly lower ranking; she was also fighting the Californian teenage phenom and a pro Californian crowd.  Bellis won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and moves into the first quarterfinals of a WTA Tour Level tournament for the first time in her young career.  One of what many believe to be the first of many for the feisty teenager. Next up for the youngster is the number one seed, Venus Williams.  Williams is two times Bellis’ age.  Can Bellis pull off the upset tomorrow?