Belinda Bencic Stuns at Pan Pacific Open: A Comeback Story No One Saw Coming

Look, nobody—and I mean nobody—expected Belinda Bencic to waltz back into the winner’s circle this quickly. Not even Bencic herself. But here we are, watching the Swiss star cradle her 10th career trophy after demolishing Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-3 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo. And honestly? The whole thing feels a bit surreal.

Let’s rewind for a second. Just over a year ago, Bencic was changing diapers, not tennis rackets. She gave birth to her daughter in April 2024 and returned to professional tennis a mere six months later—a timeline that would make most people’s heads spin. Yet somehow, she’s not just back. She’s thriving.

From Ranked 421 to Top 15: Bencic’s Meteoric Rise

When the 2025 season kicked off, Bencic sat at a rather unglamorous world ranking of 421. Fast forward to today, and she’s climbed all the way to No. 13 (and climbing). That’s not a typo. The 28-year-old has essentially speed-run her way back to tennis relevance, snagging two titles this year—first in Abu Dhabi back in February, and now this Tokyo triumph.

“I’m really enjoying my time back on tour and I think it’s showing in the results,” Bencic said after the match, probably still processing what just happened. “I couldn’t be more happy and I’m definitely surprised. This was definitely not planned.”

Yeah, we’re surprised too, Belinda. In the best way possible.

The Road to the Final Wasn’t Easy

Let’s not sugarcoat this—Bencic earned every bit of that trophy. Her path to the final was grueling. She battled through back-to-back three-set wars against Karolina Muchova and Sofia Kenin, spending over five hours on court across two days. By the time Saturday’s semifinal wrapped up, she admitted to “feeling exhausted.”

But here’s where it gets quirky. Bencic credited her recovery to… miso soup and sushi. “Miso soup, I swear, it’s great for recovery,” she said with genuine enthusiasm. “It helped me a lot, I felt so much better after.”

Move over, sports drinks. Apparently, the secret to athletic recovery is fermented soybean paste. Who knew?

Noskova Never Had a Chance

Meanwhile, No. 6 seed Linda Noskova rolled into the final with a much cushier schedule. The 20-year-old Czech advanced to the semifinals via a retirement and a walkover when Elena Rybakina pulled out with a back injury. Translation: Noskova barely broke a sweat before facing Bencic.

And it showed. Despite squandering 10 break points during the final, Noskova couldn’t find her rhythm. “I definitely didn’t have such control over all the points or all of my balls as I did a couple of matches ago,” she admitted afterward. “I’ve never gone through a situation where I didn’t really play for whole matches before reaching a final.”

Bencic, on the other hand, was relentless. She broke Noskova’s serve three times and wrapped up the victory in just 82 minutes, looking like someone who’d been dominating tennis all along—not someone who took a maternity break 18 months ago.

Tokyo: A City of Champions for Bencic

There’s something about Tokyo that brings out the best in Bencic. This win marks her second major triumph in the Japanese capital. The first? Oh, just a casual Olympic gold medal back at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics (plus a silver in doubles for good measure).

“The last time I won here was the Tokyo Olympics when it was an empty stadium, so it was a completely different atmosphere,” Bencic reflected. “But it was great to play in front of you guys. I love to play in Japan, so I’m super happy to finally win this tournament.”

It’s worth noting that this victory came exactly 10 years after Bencic last appeared in the Pan Pacific final—where she lost to Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska. Talk about full-circle moments.

What’s Next for Bencic?

Here’s the thing that makes this comeback even more impressive: Bencic wasn’t sure she’d ever get back to this level. Her career-high ranking was No. 4, achieved back in February 2020—a lifetime ago in tennis years. After becoming a mom, the question wasn’t if she’d return, but how good she could realistically be.

The Australian Open earlier this year provided the answer. Bencic made it to the Round of 16, beating none other than former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka along the way. That performance convinced her she still belonged among tennis’s elite.

“It’s hard work but it’s a lot of self-belief and a lot of mental belief as well,” Bencic explained. “I’m really happy to have this confirmation with myself that I’m able to try to even beat my best ranking from before.”

Translation: Don’t be shocked if Bencic cracks the top 10 again. At this rate, she might even surpass that old No. 4 ranking. The woman is on a mission, fueled by miso soup and sheer determination.

The Bigger Picture

Bencic’s story isn’t just about tennis stats and rankings. It’s about rewriting the narrative around motherhood in professional sports. For too long, female athletes faced an unspoken ultimatum: career or family. Choose one. Bencic is proving that’s garbage.

She’s not just “back.” She’s better, hungrier, and more motivated than ever. And she’s doing it all while raising a daughter—which, let’s be honest, is probably harder than any three-set match.

So yeah, the Pan Pacific Open gave us a feel-good story for the ages. Bencic shocked the tennis world, shocked herself, and probably shocked anyone who doubted that new moms could dominate at the highest level of sport.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to stock up on miso soup. Apparently, it’s the real MVP.