WIMBLEDON, England — Belinda Bencic`s smile was radiant and unwavering.
From the moment she clinched the final match point, securing a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) victory over the No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva in two intense tiebreaks, until she departed the court following her post-match interview, the smile remained firmly in place.
“It`s crazy, it`s unbelievable, it`s a dream come true,” a beaming Bencic shared with the captivated Centre Court audience. “I deliberately tried not to dwell on it at match point. I`m genuinely speechless, so incredibly happy. This marks just my second Grand Slam semifinal overall, and my very first here at Wimbledon. So, yes, simply speechless, utterly delighted.”
This fortnight has unfolded in an improbable manner for the unseeded Bencic, following a season that itself has been a remarkable journey. Formerly ranked as high as No. 4 and the singles gold medalist at the 2020 Olympic Games, Bencic announced her pregnancy in November 2023, signaling an indefinite break from the sport. After giving birth to her daughter Bella in April 2024, she made her competitive return later that year. Initially participating primarily in smaller ITF-level events, she rejoined the WTA Tour in January.
Bencic quickly surpassed her own initial expectations, reaching the fourth round at the Australian Open and claiming the title at the 500-level Abu Dhabi Open in February. However, she was subsequently forced to withdraw from the French Open due to injury and had played only one grass-court match leading into Wimbledon. Consequently, she harbored limited optimism as the tournament at the All England Club commenced.
Yet, through five matches, Bencic has proven almost unstoppable. The 28-year-old has strung together one impressive victory after another. Her next challenge will be playing in only her second career semifinal, and her first since 2019, facing five-time major champion Iga Swiatek on Thursday. Having started her comeback from maternity leave ranked outside the top 1000, Bencic is projected to return to the top 20 in the world rankings next week.
“I feel immense pride,” Bencic stated on Wednesday. “Honestly, throughout my career, I didn`t say that to myself often, but after having Bella, I make a point of saying it daily, and I believe that has made a significant difference. Of course, I must acknowledge that I couldn`t do this alone; it wouldn`t be possible without my wonderful family and my incredible team. We dedicated so much hard work to this comeback, and now we are simply cherishing life on tour, traveling with Bella.”
“Creating these memories together has been beautiful, and naturally, playing well is fantastic, but for me, it`s an added bonus. Fundamentally, I`m just profoundly happy to have the ability to play again.”
Following the returns of major champions Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams after giving birth in 2017 and 2018, the WTA Tour seemed to experience something of a “baby boom.” The WTA even implemented a new maternity leave policy earlier this year. Nine mothers were in the main draw at Wimbledon this year.
However, the physical recovery from pregnancy, combined with the demanding, global nature of the tour, presents unique obstacles. Parents on tour must arrange their own childcare assistance for the often lengthy days required on site. This is both costly and can be physically and emotionally draining.
Furthermore, there is no certainty that a player will regain the level they achieved prior to taking maternity leave. Despite reaching four major finals upon her return, Serena Williams, aged 35 at the time, famously did not capture another Grand Slam title. Naomi Osaka, a four-time major winner, has not advanced past the third round at a Slam since her return at the start of last season. Fellow former major champions Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova made brief returns before announcing their retirements. (Kvitova exited Wimbledon in the first round last week and plans her official retirement after the US Open.)
Bencic was keenly aware of the difficulties faced by others, as well as the successes of players like Elina Svitolina, who has reached a major semifinal and four quarterfinals since her comeback, but she always intended to return. She mentioned that she started gradually after Bella`s birth, initially focusing on feeling like herself again before intensifying her training and getting back on court.
Bencic recognized she had a certain advantage because her husband, Martin Hromkovic, serves as her fitness coach and travels with her. This setup meant they could avoid being apart during the season, and Bella could be with both parents. Her mother also offered to join them for various parts of the season.
Bencic felt energized and physically ready for her first ITF tournament in October, but she remained uncertain about her performance or what goals were realistic. “It felt a bit like stepping into the unknown,” Bencic confessed. “I didn`t truly know what to anticipate. My primary hope was simply to return to the same level again… I had some concern that perhaps tennis had progressed, become faster, with players serving harder. I wondered if I would be able to keep pace with the tempo and speed. I simply didn`t know.”
Beyond the lingering questions and self-doubt regarding the state of her game, she even found packing for tournaments challenging. With babies requiring extensive gear, Bencic was constantly checking the weather forecasts for upcoming destinations to decide what clothes Bella would need. As the 2025 season began, and Bencic knew they would spend at least a month in Australia, she tried to predict Bella`s growth and whether milk available in Switzerland would be found on the other side of the world. (It wasn`t, necessitating them to stockpile as much as possible.)
And, of course, there was the laundry situation, a challenge every parent of a young child knows well. They make an effort to stay in accommodations equipped with washing machines whenever possible.
“It`s undeniably the logistics of things that presents the greatest difficulty,” Bencic explained. “You have to meticulously consider everything. I feel like I pack nothing for myself these days, yet I`m still constantly overpacking. It`s complicated, but genuinely, everything is manageable, even if you forget something.”
While managing a complex balancing act behind the scenes, Bencic made it appear effortless during her run to the round of 16 in Melbourne, defeating Jelena Ostapenko in her opening match and pushing Coco Gauff to three sets in the fourth round. Just weeks later, she captured the title in Abu Dhabi, including a decisive win over 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. After defeating Ashlyn Krueger in the final, she carried Bella onto the court and posed for photographs with her daughter and the trophy.
“It was a truly lovely, very special moment,” Bencic recounted. “Bella was mostly upstairs with Martin in the media center during the match, but he brought her down in a carrier for the third set. I believe he sensed I needed support. Seeing them there was incredibly nice, and taking those pictures with her felt so natural because we genuinely accomplished it together, and I was so proud of all of us.”
Bella is frequently seen at Bencic`s practices. During one early morning session at Indian Wells in March, Bella was strapped to Martin`s chest as he stood by the fence, observing Bencic work on her serve.
The comeback journey hasn`t been entirely smooth, however. Bencic was forced to miss the French Open due to an arm injury, halting the momentum she had built earlier in the season. She returned at the Bad Homburg Open last month but suffered a first-round loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-1, 6-2. The two met again in the round of 16 on Monday, but this time Bencic prevailed over the No. 18 seed Alexandrova in straight sets.
Despite that victory, Bencic, who had never advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon previously, was considered the underdog in the quarterfinals against Andreeva, the 18-year-old sensation vying for her second major semifinal appearance. Yet, in front of a crowd that included Queen Camilla, Bencic maintained her calm and composure. Even during the most stressful moments of the exceptionally close match, Bencic managed to induce errors from the more aggressive Andreeva. In the tiebreaks, where Andreeva seemed most vulnerable, Bencic relied on her experience, adhered to her game plan, and it proved successful.
“I am disappointed I lost, but I just felt she played very well today,” a dejected Andreeva commented after the match.
On Thursday, just one day after her most significant win at the All England Club, Bencic will have the opportunity to reach her first major final. She has defeated Swiatek only once in five encounters, with their most recent match being a loss in the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2023. However, she is aware of her capabilities and prepared for the challenge. Swiatek, who praised Bencic`s return, also appeared to anticipate a closely contested match.
“She certainly possesses the game to perform well on grass here,” Swiatek remarked on Wednesday. “Honestly, I never doubted her ability to come back after pregnancy. She seems in good spirits and is playing well.”
Regardless of the outcome, Bencic knows it won`t significantly alter her daily life or what she values most, as her results on the tennis court no longer define her happiness. “Previously, tennis was everything to me, the absolute center of my life,” Bencic shared. “I was perpetually anxious and constantly preoccupied with how I was playing and who my next opponent would be. Tennis was incessantly on my mind. Now, there are times I go to sleep and forget I have a match the following day. My professional life and my private life are now so clearly separated. It feels genuinely healthy to me at this point.”
