Belinda Bencic captured the Pan Pacific Open title in Tokyo on Sunday, sealing her 10th career crown — and her second of the season — with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Linda Noskova in just one hour and 22 minutes. The win carried extra weight: exactly ten years ago, a then-18-year-old Bencic had fallen short in this very final.
Now 28 and back on tour after the birth of her first child, Bencic’s resurgence is gathering real momentum. Having already lifted the trophy in Abu Dhabi at the start of the season, she capped another inspired week with a display of poise and precision in Tokyo. The odds weren’t stacked in her favor — she had logged more than five hours on court en route to the final, while Noskova advanced largely untested after three walkovers.
None of that showed. Bencic controlled the match from the outset, using sharp angles and composed decision-making to neutralize the Czech’s power. Her comeback week had already featured grit — notably when she saved a match point against Karolina Muchova in the quarterfinals — but Sunday felt almost like closure. With clean ball-striking and the mental steel that once defined her teenage breakthrough, Bencic played like someone reclaiming her place among the elite.
Climbing Back Toward the Top Ten
The victory lifts Bencic to No. 11 in the world, within striking distance of the Top 10. She stands to gain further ground soon, as several rivals — including Ekaterina Alexandrova — will drop points in the coming weeks. Having returned to competition only in January, Bencic carries few ranking defenses, giving her a clear runway for another rise.
It marks the second time in three years she’s claimed multiple titles in a single season — an impressive feat considering her maternity break not long ago.
“A Fantastic Atmosphere”
“It was wonderful playing in front of all of you,” Bencic told the Tokyo crowd after the final. “The last time I won here was during the Olympics — the stadium was empty then. Today, it was a completely different, fantastic atmosphere.”
Her performance throughout the week backed the emotion behind those words. Bencic faced ten break points across the final and saved every single one — seven of them in the second set. She met Noskova’s early aggression with laser-accurate returning and fearless net play, dictating tempo from the baseline and closing at will.
Two breaks sealed the opening set; in the second, Noskova threatened briefly at 3-3 before Bencic broke again and served out the match with authority.
As the final ball sailed long, Bencic’s celebratory roar said it all — the sound of relief, joy, and quiet vindication after a demanding journey back to form. It was the perfect finish to a week — and a year — that reaffirms her return among the sport’s top contenders.