CiCi Bellis showed shot-making talent in Mallorca

Rising American prospect Catherine “CiCi” Bellis continues to show why she is an exciting and skilled player. A few weeks ago, she pushed Caroline Wozniacki on Roland Garros’ red clay. This past week, she played her first grass-court tournament as a professional and reached the semifinals at the Mallorca Open.

It’s this versatility on extreme surfaces that is so impressive. She’s 18 years old, playing abroad in Europe and exhibiting athletic shotmaking. For instance, her upset win over Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro—often ranked in or near the top 10—showed how well she generates power on her backhand, even when the ball stays low. Watch the backhand winner at 1:50 of this clip:

In her match against Mona Barthel, Bellis had this impressive combination of a defensive slice forehand before pouncing on a short ball and flicking an impressive backhand winner.

Bellis’ quarterfinals win over Kristyna Pliskova featured one of the highlight shots of the week, similar to Rafael Nadal’s great shot in the French Open final. It’s a tribute to her speed and creativity.

And how about this backhand slice that skidded off the chalk line like a hockey puck on ice?

Although Bellis bowed out in the semifinals to Julia Goerges, she will open up play at Eastbourne for this rematch. At Wimbledon, Bellis could be dangerous in the early rounds against the top players.

In late July, Bellis will play in the San Francisco area where she was born.

West Coast tennis fans can get a glimpse of their golden prospect and enjoy her ongoing development.