Bencic grinds out semifinal win in Tokyo
Belinda Bencic pushes past Sofia Kenin in a tense three-setter to reach the Tokyo final, where she’ll meet Linda Noskova after Elena Rybakina’s last-minute withdrawal.
Under the glare of Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum lights, Belinda Bencic clawed her way through a semifinal marathon against Sofia Kenin, sealing a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-2 victory after 2 hours and 15 minutes of gritty exchanges on the indoor hard courts. The Swiss player, drawing on echoes of her runner-up finish here a decade ago as an 18-year-old, advances to her second final at the Toray Pan Pacific Open and her 10th overall, the latest milestone in a season highlighted by her February WTA 500 title in Abu Dhabi. With Rybakina’s withdrawal reshaping the bracket, Bencic now prepares for Noskova on Sunday, a matchup that promises sharp baseline duels on a surface favoring controlled aggression.
Exhaustion sharpens tactical risks
Bencic’s flat groundstrokes cut through the medium-paced hard court, where the ball’s true bounce rewarded her precise placement, but Kenin’s scrambling defense prolonged rallies and tested her stamina. She countered with crosscourt forehands to open angles, slipping in inside-out backhands to pull the American wide, yet unforced errors crept in during the second set as fatigue mounted. By the decider, Bencic stepped inside the baseline, unleashing one–two combinations that shortened points and forced Kenin into hurried replies, a shift that turned defensive scrambles into attacking chances.
Kenin’s underspin slices varied the tempo, skidding low to disrupt rhythm on the slick surface, but Bencic’s serve found its mark down the T, targeting the backhand side for key holds. This willingness to take risks, even amid a grueling week, highlighted her growing resilience after mid-season setbacks, allowing her to convert break points with composed volleys. For tournament updates, check Tokyo: Scores, Draw, and Order of play, which underscore the bracket’s demands on endurance and adaptability.
“It was a very difficult match, for sure,” Bencic said after the match. “I’m really exhausted at this point. I don’t know how (I got through it). I just tried to shorten the points, take more risks and try to go for it. Thankfully, today it went my way.”
Crowd fuels the final push
The packed stadium thrummed with energy, its cheers punctuating every baseline battle and amplifying the intensity for both players. Bencic fed off the roar, using it to refocus after dropping the second set, while Kenin’s counterpunching drew equal applause in a display of mutual grit. This shared motivation transformed exhaustion into determination, with the Swiss player ramping up inside-in forehands that clipped lines and ignited the crowd further.
In the opener’s tiebreak, precise serving and down-the-line returns gave her the edge, a psychological boost that carried into the third where she broke with net-rushing poise. The atmosphere, alive with anticipation, helped both empty their reserves, turning a potential endurance drain into a collective surge. Bencic later reflected on how the fans’ presence elevated their fight, a factor that has steadied her through uneven results this year.
“It was very motivating to see a full stadium,” she said. “Thanks to the fans and the crowd, we were able to fight, and both take out whatever we had in us.”
Noskova matchup tests renewal
Facing Noskova’s powerful ground game, Bencic will lean on her all-court versatility to neutralize flat trajectories, perhaps mixing more slices to disrupt depth on these courts. The Czech’s rising form adds intrigue, but the Swiss veteran’s experience here could tip the scales in a final that caps a redemptive run. Clocking under three hours against Kenin’s tenacity offers recovery breathing room, positioning Bencic to channel crowd energy and tactical edge into a potential second title of the season.
