Belinda Bencic defeated Linda Noskova in the Pan Pacific Open final to claim her second WTA title as a mother.
The 28-year-old Bencic has now won 10 WTA titles, but lost the final of this event in straight sets to Agnieszka Radwanska 10 years ago.
But she dominated the Czech Republic’s Nokova 6-2 6-3 to win this championship.
Bencic’s other WTA victory in Abu Dhabi this year came just 10 months after the birth of her first child and less than four months after she returned from more than a year’s maternity leave.
“I feel like Tokyo and Japan are a happy place in my career, I’ve had great success here and I love being here,” said Bencic of Switzerland, who won the women’s singles gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
“I had a déjà vu feeling on the court. I had match point on the same side of the court, hit the same serve and told myself the same thing. I got goosebumps, it was really special. It’s great to win here again.”
When Bencic, ranked fourth in the world in 2020, returned to competition in October 2024, her world ranking had dropped to 1,213.
She has risen to No. 13 and reached the Wimbledon semifinals earlier this year, where she was defeated by eventual champion Iga Swiatek.
“I’m really enjoying being back on tour and I think that’s shown in the results,” she added.
“I’m very happy and surprised. This was definitely not planned.”
“It’s hard work but it also requires a lot of self-belief and mental belief.
“I’m really happy that I got this confirmation and that I can even try to beat my previous best ranking.”
Noskova, 20, who also lost the China Open final earlier this month, will be looking to add to her only WTA win.
