Belinda Bencic will spend a few days cursing the fine margins that ultimately ended her title defense at the Credit One Charleston Open. But the Swiss star says she's full of confidence as she returns to Europe for the heart of the clay swing. 

Bencic was a win away from becoming the first woman to defend the Charleston title in a decade. Facing No.5 Ons Jabeur in a rematch of last year's final, Bencic watched as Jabeur stormed back from 5-3 down in the first set and save set points to ultimately notch a 7-6(6), 6-4 victory. 

Match report: Jabeur bests Bencic to win Charleston

"I think she's really a high-quality player, and she really has all the tools in her box," Bencic told reporters after the loss. "When I'm playing my best, I can try to press her and push her. But I think today she just also moved very good, and she was really counterattacking very well. She did all the things a little bit better today.

"I wish at 6-4 in the tiebreak one of her balls would just go a little bit wide or a little bit long, but sometimes this is tennis. This is how you win the matches. I felt today was meant to be her way."

It is hard to argue with Bencic's sentiment. Jabeur engineered her inspired first-set comeback with an array of audacious drop shots and line-clipping winners. In perhaps the key point of the match with Bencic serving for the opening set, Jabeur converted break point with the help of a leaping front-tweener that left the crowd roaring. 

The incredible shot that turned the Charleston final around for Jabeur

"I will have to accept the fact, and hope that maybe I will play her in a Grand Slam final and she will not do this. If she will do this, I will kill her," Bencic said, laughing.

"The tiebreak at 6-4, I think three out of the four points she hit just a straight line. And this is well done because she went for the shot, and it paid off. Maybe in another time it will not pay off."

The win moved Jabeur to 3-2 in their career head-to-head, though the margin of victory in their completed matches has always been slim. 

"Last year, I won against her in Charleston," Bencic said. "She beat me in Madrid and the Berlin final. So maybe she won this year and I am going to beat her in Madrid and Berlin final. I don't know.

"For sure, I will go to sleep thinking about this shot, like it will be in front of my eyes, but next week I will not think about it anymore because we have a new tournament.

"My career is so long. I will play many finals. I will lose many, I will win many, but there are no regrets for that."