Belinda Bencic breezed past Czech sixth seed Linda Noskova 6-2 6-3 to win the Pan Pacific Open title on Sunday, erasing bitter memories of her straight-sets defeat by Agnieszka Radwanska in the title clash of the same tournament 10 years ago.
Victory earned Bencic her 10th WTA title overall and second of the year following her Abu Dhabi crown in February, returning her to the winners' circle once again after a maternity break in 2023 saw her drop outside the top 1,000 at one stage.
"I feel like Tokyo and Japan is a happy place in my career, a place where I've had good success and I just love being here," said Bencic, who won the Tokyo Olympics gold medal in 2021.
"I had a deja vu moment on court. I had match point on the same side of the court, went for the same serve and was telling myself the same things. I had goosebumps, it was really special. It's great to win here again."
Despite being dragged the distance in her last two matches at Tokyo's Ariake Coliseum, the world number 13 showed no signs of fatigue in the opening exchanges and secured a break to go 4-2 up before wrapping up the opening set with another.
Bencic held in a six-deuce game to go 3-2 ahead in the second set and produced another battling display on serve later to go within two games of wrapping up a memorable victory.
With the finish line in sight, Bencic raised the intensity to grab the crucial break in the eighth game and closed out the win on serve in the next game, finishing with a superb drive volley and a neat forehand winner.
'DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE'
"It was wonderful playing in front of you," Bencic said.
"The last time I won here ... it was an empty stadium - so it was a completely different atmosphere, but it was great," she said, referring to the Olympics held during the COVID pandemic.
"... I'm super happy to finally win this tournament."
For Noskova, it was a disappointing end to a fortuitous week. She reached the final after Elena Rybakina's withdrawal due to injury, and earlier benefited from a walkover midway through her quarter-final with Anna Kalinskaya.
The 20-year-old was beaten in the final of the China Open earlier this month by American Amanda Anisimova, leaving her with only one title in her career following her triumph in Monterrey last year.
"Obviously, today was not my day," Noskova said.
"But congratulations to Belinda. She played incredible this week and today. I'm very happy to see you back, coming back from giving birth. It's such an achievement."
"I definitely look up to you in so many ways. It was a great experience, although not a lucky one for me to play you today."
