WIMBLEDON, England — Belinda Bencic by no means stopped smiling.
From the second after she secured match level within the second tiebreak of the day to earn the 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) victory over No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva, to the time she left the court docket moments later following her post-victory interview, the smile did not fade from her face.
“It is loopy, it is unbelievable, it is a dream come true,” a beaming Bencic mentioned because the enamored crowd regarded on at Centre Courtroom. “I attempted not to consider it on the match level. I am speechless. So joyful. It is simply my second semifinal of a Grand Slam total, and the primary one at Wimbledon. So yeah, simply speechless, so joyful.”
It has been an unbelievable fortnight for the unseeded Bencic, on the heels of an unbelievable season total. As soon as ranked as excessive as No. 4 and the gold medalist in singles on the 2020 Olympic Video games, Bencic introduced she was pregnant in November 2023 and could be sidelined indefinitely. After giving start to daughter Bella in April 2024, she returned to competitors on the finish of the yr. Whereas she initially performed in principally smaller, ITF-level occasions, she got here again to the WTA Tour in January.
Bencic exceeded her personal expectations early by reaching the fourth spherical on the Australian Open and successful the title on the 500-level Abu Dhabi Open in February. However she then needed to withdraw from the French Open as a consequence of damage, and solely performed in a single grass-court match earlier than Wimbledon, so she wasn’t precisely optimistic as play acquired underway on the All England Membership.
By 5 matches, although, Bencic has been practically unstoppable. The 28-year-old has rattled off one spectacular win after one other. Subsequent, she is going to play in simply the second semifinal of her profession, and first since 2019, on Thursday in opposition to five-time main champion Iga Swiatek. Ranked outdoors of the highest 1000 at first of her comeback from maternity depart, Bencic is anticipated to return to the highest 20 in subsequent week’s rankings.
“I am very proud,” Bencic mentioned on Wednesday. “Really, all my profession, I did not say it quite a bit to myself, however after having Bella, I actually say it to myself daily, and I feel that modifications quite a bit. However after all, I’ve to say it isn’t solely me, I would not be capable to do it with out my superb household and likewise my superb staff. We work so onerous on the comeback and we’re simply having fun with life on tour with Bella touring.
“It has been lovely to create these reminiscences collectively and clearly to play nice is so superb, however for me it is a bonus. I am usually simply actually joyful to have the ability to play once more.”
After main champions Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams returned to play after giving start in 2017 and 2018, it appeared to usher in one thing of a child increase on the WTA Tour. The WTA even launched a brand new maternity depart profit earlier this yr. There have been 9 moms in the principle draw at Wimbledon this yr.
However there are nonetheless the bodily calls for of being pregnant, and the nonstop, globetrotting nature of the tour presents a singular problem. Dad and mom on tour should convey their very own assist to offer youngster care in the course of the usually lengthy days on website. It is costly and could be grueling and emotionally taxing.
And there isn’t any assure a participant will be capable to return to the extent they reached earlier than maternity depart. Whereas she reached 4 main finals in her return, Williams, age 35 on the time, famously was by no means in a position to seize one other Slam title. Naomi Osaka, a four-time main champion, hasn’t been in a position to get previous the third spherical at a Slam since she got here again at first of final season. Fellow former main champions Angelique Kerber and Petra Kvitova made temporary returns earlier than saying their retirements from the game. (Kvitova misplaced within the first spherical at Wimbledon final week and will probably be formally strolling away following the US Open.)
Bencic was keenly conscious of others’ struggles — in addition to the success of gamers like Elina Svitolina, who has reached a significant semifinal and 4 quarterfinals since her comeback — however all the time deliberate on returning. She instructed ESPN she began slowly after Bella’s start, simply making an attempt to really feel like herself once more, earlier than ramping issues again up and getting on the court docket.
Bencic knew she had considerably of a bonus as a result of her husband, Martin Hromkovic, can also be her health coach and travels together with her. It meant they would not should be aside in the course of the season and Bella may very well be with each dad and mom. Her mother additionally volunteered to accompany them for a number of elements of the season.
Bencic was feeling energized and wholesome for her first ITF match in October, however she nonetheless did not understand how she would do or what targets she ought to even set for herself.
“It was somewhat bit a step at nighttime,” Bencic mentioned to ESPN. “I did not actually know what to anticipate precisely. I used to be simply hoping that I can get to the identical degree once more … I used to be somewhat bit involved that perhaps tennis has moved somewhat ahead and is even quicker now, and individuals are serving quicker. Am I going to have the ability to maintain up with the tempo and the velocity and every part? I did not know.”
Apart from the lingering questions and self-doubt concerning the state of her recreation, she wasn’t even certain pack for tournaments anymore. As infants require a whole lot of gear, Bencic discovered herself continuously checking the climate of impending locations to find out what garments Bella would wish. As soon as the 2025 season started, and Bencic knew they’d be spending no less than a month in Australia, she tried to anticipate how a lot Bella would develop and if they’d be capable to get the milk that is accessible in Switzerland on the opposite facet of the world. (They could not, so that they had been compelled to stockpile as a lot as they might.)
And naturally there was the laundry subject, one thing that each father or mother of a younger youngster is aware of properly. They attempt to keep in homes with washing machines as a lot as doable.
“It is positively the logistics of issues that is the toughest,” Bencic instructed ESPN. “It’s important to actually take into consideration every part. I really feel like I convey nothing for myself as of late however I am nonetheless overpacking on a regular basis. It is tough however every part is doable actually, even should you neglect one thing.”
Whereas it was a juggling act behind the scenes, Bencic made all of it look straightforward throughout her spherical of 16 run in Melbourne, defeating Jelena Ostapenko in her opener and pushing Coco Gauff to 3 units within the fourth spherical. Simply weeks later, she received the title in Abu Dhabi, together with a decisive win over 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina within the semifinals. After she topped Ashlyn Krueger within the last, she carried Bella onto the court docket and posed for photographs together with her and the trophy.
“It was an excellent good, very particular second,” Bencic mentioned. “She was up with Martin within the media heart for a lot of the match however he put her within the provider and introduced her down for the third set. I feel he felt like I wanted assist. I noticed them and it actually was so good. Taking these footage together with her felt so pure as a result of all of us actually did it collectively and I used to be so pleased with all of us.”
Bella is commonly noticed at Bencic’s practices. Throughout one early morning session at Indian Wells in March, Bella was strapped onto Martin’s chest as he stood by the fence and watched Bencic work on her serve.
The comeback hasn’t been all easy, nevertheless. Bencic was unable to take part on the French Open as a consequence of an arm damage, pausing her earlier-season momentum. She made her return on the Dangerous Homburg Open final month however misplaced in her first-round match to Ekaterina Alexandrova, 6-1, 6-2. The 2 confronted one another once more within the spherical of 16 on Monday however this time it was Bencic who acquired the higher of Alexandrova, the No. 18 seed, in straight units.
Regardless of that victory, Bencic, who had by no means superior previous the fourth spherical at Wimbledon earlier than, was the underdog within the quarterfinals in opposition to Andreeva, the 18-year-old phenom vying to achieve the second main semifinal of her younger profession. However, in entrance of a crowd that included Queen Camilla, Bencic remained calm and composed. Even within the tensest moments of the ever-so-tight match, Bencic compelled the extra aggressive Andreeva to commit pricey errors. Within the tiebreaks, the place Andreeva appeared at her most susceptible, Bencic let her expertise information her and caught to her recreation plan. It labored.
“I’m unhappy that I misplaced, however I simply felt like she was taking part in good at the moment,” a disillusioned Andreeva mentioned after the match.
On Thursday, simply at some point faraway from her greatest victory on the All England Membership, Bencic can have the possibility to achieve her first main last. She’s overwhelmed Swiatek simply as soon as in 5 conferences, and misplaced of their most up-to-date conflict within the fourth spherical at Wimbledon in 2023, however she is aware of what she’s able to and is prepared for the problem. Swiatek, who praised Bencic’s return, gave the impression to be anticipating an in depth match as properly.
“For certain she has the sport to play properly right here on grass,” Swiatek mentioned on Wednesday. “Yeah, I by no means doubted that she will be able to’t come again after being pregnant. She looks like she’s in a great temper and he or she’s taking part in properly.”
However win or lose, Bencic is aware of it will not change a lot about her every day life, or what issues most to her, as her outcomes on the tennis court docket not dictate her happiness.
“Earlier than, tennis was an important factor to me and the middle of my life,” Bencic instructed ESPN. “I used to be all the time continuously worrying and fascinated by how I am taking part in and who I will play. Tennis was on my thoughts continuously. And now typically I fall asleep and I neglect that the following day I’ve to play a match. My work life and my non-public life are so separated at this level. It feels actually wholesome to me now.”