'Near tears': US Open star loses the plot in 'absolute meltdown'

Belinda Bencic suffered an extraordinary meltdown during her semi-final showdown with Bianca Andreescu in the second set to hand the teenager the win.

Andreescu stormed into the US Open final, where Serena Williams awaits, but it was Bencic who was “near tears” after failing to serve out the set and collapse.

The 19-year-old Canadian was down 2-5 in the second set of her semi-final clash with Bencic on Thursday, with Bencic serving to send it to a deciding set.

Andreescu did the unthinkable as she broke Bencic three times and won the final five games of the match to advance 7-6 (3), 7-5, becoming the first Canadian woman to make the final in New York.

But many fans on social media couldn’t help feel sorry for Bencic who “imploded” at the wrong time.

Serena awaits for Andreescu

Andreescu, who has already won titles at Indian Wells and Toronto during her breakout 2019 season, unleashed a torrent of bruising groundstrokes to defeat the Swiss on a warm night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Momentum shifted on the first point of the first set tiebreak when Bencic double-faulted and her previously immaculate play began to crumble and Andreescu cruised from there.

Bencic finally broke Andreescu to open the second set but despite stretching her lead to 4-1 and 5-2, Andreescu fed off the supportive crowd to level at 5-5 after another costly Bencic double fault.

Andreescu booked her ticket to her first grand slam final when Bencic sent a forehand into the net on match point to end the tense first-time encounter.

The final will pit power against power when Andreescu takes on her childhood hero Williams, who claimed her first US Open title in 1999 before Andreescu was even born.