JOIN USBelinda Bencic defeated Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 on Saturday to win the first title of her career at Eastbourne and hailed the influence of superstar compatriot Martina Hingis.
The trophy breakthrough for the 18-year-old Swiss denied the ninth-seeded Pole, and 2012 Wimbledon finalist, a second title at Devonshire Park on the English south coast.
Bencic, coached part-time by Martina Hingis and by Hingis's mother Melanie Molitor, was playing in the third final of her career.
Bencic got away to an untouchable treble break in the third set for 5-0 as she finished the job against the 2008 Eastbourne champion with a forehand winner to the corner.
The youngster credited Hingis and her mother with "teaching me everything I know".
"This is the biggest day of may career," said the world number 31 who will now rise 10 places after her maiden trophy.
"This is a dream come true. I'm so happy to win my first title here. I woke up very nervous this morning and even in practise I was nervous.
"But once on the court I tried to fight for every point, I tried my best,” remarked the Swiss teen who started playing tennis at a tender age of two.
Radwanska had been bidding for the 15th trophy of her career and only the second on grass.
Bencic, at 18 the second-youngest member of the WTA top 100, improved her career grass-court record to 11-2.
Istomin wins title
Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin won his maiden ATP tour title as he defeated Sam Querrey in two tie-break sets in the final of the Nottingham Open on Saturday.
Istomin prevailed 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (8/6) to triumph in the Wimbledon warm-up event and in the process beat Querrey, ranked 48 places above him, having lost four of his last five matches against the American.
He was 5-2 up in the second set but conceded two breaks before defeating the 27-year-old Querrey, who had been attempting to claim his first title since triumphing in Nottingham three years ago.