By Adrianna Outlaw | Saturday, September 26, 2015
Agnieszka Radwanska swept Dominika Cibulkova, 6-4, 6-1, to set up a Tokyo final versus Belinda Bencic.
Photo credit: Toray Pan Pacific Open
Belinda Bencic continues to master Top 10 opponents. Now, she's one win away from joining them.
Bencic beat Caroline Wozniacki, 6-2, 6-4, her fourth win over the former world No. 1 this season, to advance to the Tokyo final.
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The 18-year-old Swiss can crack the Top 10 for the first time if she defeats Agnieszka Radwanska in Sunday's final.
Bencic boasts an 8-2 record vs. Top 10 opponent this season.
"It's amazing to be in the final," Bencic said afterward. "The first time I played here was two years ago, and it was a huge tournament for me. It's really just beautiful here, so to make the final here is really exciting. I'm feeling very good right now."
No. 7-seeded Radwanska rolled past unseeded Dominika Cibulkova, 6-4, 6-1, to reach her first final since she lost to Bencic, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0, in the Eastbourne final in June.
Radwanska reeled off 10 of the final 11 games dispatching Cibulkova, who defeated former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals.
A red-hot Radwanska won 16 of the last 19 points, including seven straight to seal her third trip to the Tokyo final.
"I'm just so happy to be in the final here for the third time," Radwanska said. "I think this is the only tournament I've been to the final of three times, so it's for sure a special place for me!"
The 2011 Tokyo champion said she expects a challenging final against the eighth-seeded Swiss.
"I'm ready, but she's definitely on fire," Radwanska said of Bencic. "She's had a great season, beating pretty much all the top players on the way. We played one final on grass, so we'll see how it's going to be on hardcourts, but for sure it's not going to be an easy match. I'll try my best, of course. I'll just try to do revenge and we'll see how it goes tomorrow."