It’s been two years since a 15-year-old unknown named Catherine Cartan ‘CiCi’ Bellis stunned 12th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova to become the youngest girl in nearly two decades to make it past the first round at the US Open. That result made the Californian an overnight sensation and prompted fans to queue for hours for her second-round match, where a charmed run that had started in qualifying ended in three sets.
This time Bellis, still not old enough to vote in the November election, will stick around a bit longer after fighting back from a set down on Wednesday evening for a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over countrywoman Shelby Rogers to reach the third round at Flushing Meadows. The teenager stood slack-jawed at the baseline when her opponent netted a forehand on match point, then jumped twice for joy after shaking hands with Rogers and the chair umpire.
On the new Grandstand court where Ryan Harrison had delivered the upset of the tournament hours earlier, Bellis fed off a crowd that was squarely in her corner from the opening point. The contingent included a group who had attended each of her matches since the first round of qualifying eight days ago.
“One of them messaged me on Instagram and asked for tickets, and so I got them into my box today,” an elated Bellis said during a post-match press conference. “I guess we’re getting closer. They are a great group. Oh my God. They call themselves Team CiCi.
“I think they’re from Rhode Island. I think I read that in one of their Instagram bios. I don’t know much about them at all.”
The 23-year-old Rogers, a surprise quarter-finalist at this year’s French Open, who entered with a career-high ranking of No49, had seen off Bellis at a $75,000 ITF tournament on clay three weeks before Roland Garros. But the teenager said Wednesday’s rematch on the faster blue DecoTurf of Queens played more to her strengths.
“I played a little bit better today than the last time, too,” the 17-year-old from Atherton, California, said. “Say I went down the line in the last match. I’d go for a cross-court heavy in this match and then would end up winning that point just because I played that shot a little bit smarter this time.”
Bellis, who has given a verbal commitment to play at Stanford University, earned $140,000 in prize money with Wednesday’s win, a windfall she must forfeit to maintain her college eligibility. But NCAA by-laws grant leeway for travel expenses, which allowed the two-time tournament darling to upgrade her hotel room.
“I just moved up to a regular suite,” she said with a laugh. “Maybe the presidential suite this time.”
So far the world No158 has resisted the impulse to turn professional, even as it’s become increasingly clear she can compete at the tour level. She defeated another French Open quarter-finalist, Belgium’s Alison Van Uytvanck, in Friday’s final qualifying match to book a place in the main draw. But for the time being, Bellis reasserted her plan to stay the amateur course.
“I think it’s the same for now,” she said. “But, you know, we’ll see how the rest of the tournament goes for me.”
It certainly won’t get any easier. Bellis will be a decided underdog in Friday’s third round against No2 seed and Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, a match almost certain to be scheduled for a show court. And with Team CiCi presumably back on the grounds for a sixth time in a week and a half, the home-court advantage will be palpable.
“I never played on Ashe before,” she said. “I think it would just be even better for me, more fun for me.”
