By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, October 20, 2019
Belinda Bencic roared through 10 of the last 11 games rallying past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 to capture her fourth career title in Moscow.
Photo credit: Kremlincup.ru
Belinda Bencic will need more baggage on her flight to the WTA Finals Shenzhen.
The third-seeded Bencic roared through 10 of the last 11 games rallying past Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 to capture her fourth career title at Moscow's Kremlin Cup.
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It is Bencic's second title of the season following her run to the Dubai championship in February and caps a week that saw the 10th-ranked Swiss surpass Serena Williams and Kiki Bertens to secure the eighth and final spot in the season-ending WTA Finals Shenzhen.
"It feels unbelievable right now," Bencic said. "I still cannot imagine it. I know you guys today wanteded Nastia to win of course, but thank you for cheering for me the whole week."
The 22-year-old Bencic began this season ranked No. 55 and has produced some of her most dynamic tennis. Bencic leads the WTA Tour with nine Top 10 wins, picked up her 48th victory today and is projected to rise to No. 7 with her title run.
Bencic unleashed a nine-game run to blow open today's final.
"For sure, today was the cherry on top," Bencic said. "I had really no pressure going into this match. We were so happy yesterday celebrating so today was the cherry on top."
Contesting her third Moscow final, 2014 champion Pavlyuchenkova spent nearly four hours more on court than her opponent in reaching the final. Ultimately, Bencic's baseline precision and her own growing fatigue conspired to deny the 28-year-old Russian her 13th career title.
Playing her fifth tournament with coach Sam Sumyk, who formerly coached Garbine Muguruza, Pavlyuchenkova wasted no time making a power statement.
Turning her hips and shoulders into a menacing forehand, the Russian provoked a running forehand error to break in the opening game. Pavlyuchenkova denied a break point to confirm the break.
Down 0-30 in the next game, Bencic rallied on the strength of a slice ace and backhand drive volley for 1-2.
Striking heavy drives with conviction, Pavlyuchenkova battered Bencic with crackling returns to earn three break points in the seventh game.
The third-seeded Swiss stood her ground denying all three break points and sliding an ace holding for 3-4.
The Russian rallied from break point down to hold firm in the eighth game.
Still ruing lost opportunity, Bencic double faulted to face triple-set point.
On her second set point, Pavlyuchenkova closed without striking a shot as Bencic slapped another double fault into net gifting the break and 48-minute first set.
Resetting, Bencic carved out a sharp angle crosscourt to clear space then bent low to bang a backhand winner down the line breaking to start the second set.
As the second set progressed, Bencic began taking the ball earlier displacing Pavlyuchenkova from the center of the court and forcing the Russian to hit on the run. An errant forehand gave Bencic triple break point.
Sprinting up to a drop shot that sat up, Bencic rifled a running forehand into the corner breaking at love for 4-1.
A revitalized Bencic ran through six of the last seven points snatching the second set when Pavlyuchenkova double faulted on the second set point.
Hitting clean combinations, Bencic made just five unforced errors and won 100 percent of her first-serve points plowing through the 29-minute second set.
The toll of playing three three-setters in four matches this week left the 28-year-old Russian looking weary and out of options by the start of the third set.
Testing the world No. 40's speed and stamina, Bencic broke at 15 for a 2-0 lead in the decider. The free-flowing Swiss smacked an ace wide sealing her seventh straight game for a 3-0 lead.
When Pavlyuchenkova put a lethargic running forehand into net, Bencic had her fourth consecutive break and never looked back wrapping up her second championship of the season in improving her record to 48-19.