Wozniacki sets up Tokyo semifinal against Bencic

Belinda Bencic continues to master Top 10 opponents.

Jelena Jankovic of Serbia continued her strong form in China, beating Denisa Allertova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-0 to win the Guangzhou worldwide title yesterday.

Rising Swiss star Belinda Bencic beat Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki on Saturday to storm into the final of the Pan Pacific Open, where she will face Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska.

“It’s fantastic to be in the final”, Bencic said in her on-court interview after the match. It’s really just attractive here, so to make the final here is really exciting.

“I just feel like I should have served better in general and returned better”, Wozniacki said.

The first set went to a tie-break but Bencic took both that and the second set easily, winning 7-6 (7/1) 6-1 to set up a clash with Wozniacki.

“I’m playing energy tennis”.Thursday Cibulkova defeated the Spanish Carla Suarez Navarro, seeded sixth, 6-4, 6-4, but then withdrew from a doubles match with an acute gastrointestinal illness and a report of the WTA considered it “questionable” his presence in the quarter-finals.

A red-hot Radwanska won 16 of the last 19 points, including seven straight to seal her third trip to the Tokyo final. “I am very happy about that”, Wozniacki 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!”

Bencic captured her first career title in Eastbourne, England, in June, then added the Toronto crown in August, which included a victory over world No. 1 Serena Williams along the way.

She said the pressure was off, because she had faced and beaten higher-ranking players in Tokyo, including Wozniacki and world No.8 Garbine Muguruza. “New match, new tournament -we’ll see what happens”.