Belinda Bencic beat Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 for the fourth time this season to reach the final at the Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. Bencic will face Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-1.
The 18-year-old Swiss eighth seeded player, who won the first two tournaments of her career this year in Eastbourne and Toronto, broke serve in the first game of the match en route to cruising past Wozniacki with 6-2 in the first set. Bencic opened up a 4-2 lead in the second set. Both players held their serve until Bencic served out for the match for 6-2 6-4.
Bencic hit 25 winners to 11 unforced errors and converted on four of her ten break points. Wozniacki had a +10 differential (25 winners and 15 unforced errors) but she converted on just one of her four break point chances. If Bencic wins the final, she will break the top-10 for the first time in her career. Bencic has won five of her six semifinals in her career, including four this season (s’Hertogenbosch, Eastbourne, Toronto and Tokyo). She boasts a 8-2 record in her head-to-head clashes against top-10 players this year.
“It’s amazing to be in the final. The first time I played here was two years ago and it was an amazing tournament for me. It’s really just beautiful here, so to make the final here is really exciting. I am feeling very good really now. I have already reached a better result than I could have imagined, so I can enjoy tomorrow”, said Bencic.
In the final Bencic will take on 2011 Tokyo champion Agnieszka Radwanska, who fought back from 2-4 down in the first set by reeling off 10 of her next 11 games to beat Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 6-1.
Bencic beat Radwanska to take her first title on grass in Eastbourne earlier this year. Radwanska spoke highly of her younger rival ahead of tomorrow’s final.
“This is the girl who can do everything on court and it’s very hard to find a weakness. She is very weakness, but she is playing like a very experienced player. I am ready but she is on fire. She has had a great season beating many of the top players on the way. We played one final on grass, so we will see how it’s going to be on hardcourts. For sure it’s not going to be an easy match”, said Radwanska
