From 421st to top 10 – Bencic eyes Melbourne glory

A year ago, Belinda Bencic found herself 421st in the world rankings.

The former Olympic champion had dropped down after an 11-month maternity break in which she had daughter Bella.

But after a solid 2025 and a superb start to the 2026 season, Bencic is now back inside the world’s top 10.

She is the first woman to enter the top 10 in singles after giving birth since the great Serena Williams did so in 2019 – 17 months after having daughter Olympia.

After being named the Most Valuable Player at the United Cup, Swiss team-mate Stan Wawrinka said the side were “living in Belinda’s world”.

Her recent form means Bencic will be a contender for the title when the Australian Open begins on Sunday.

When Bencic made her top 10 debut in 2016 – aged just 18 – she became the first teenager in the top 10 of the WTA singles rankings since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009.

It wasn’t until five years later, however, that she won her first big title, beating Marketa Vondrousova in the final of the Tokyo Olympics to claim the gold medal.

A few WTA Tour-level titles followed in 2022 and 2023, but her pregnancy meant she missed out on defending her Olympic gold in Paris.

By the time Bencic returned from her maternity break in October 2024, she had slipped to 1,213th in the world.

But less than four months later, Bencic was back to her best – reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open before winning the Abu Dhabi Open, which she celebrated with Bella in one arm and the trophy in the other.

A deep run at Wimbledon in July – ended in the semi-finals by eventual champion Iga Swiatek – lifted her back into the world’s top 20, and she clinched her second title of the year at October’s Pan Pacific Open.

During Wimbledon, she said: “I see myself as a mum first, and then a tennis player. My priorities are clearly with my family.”

When Bencic played in the United Cup at the start of 2025, she was thrashed 6-1 6-1 by Italy’s Jasmine Paolini as Switzerland failed to make it past the group stage.

But the 28-year-old enjoyed a stellar run in Australia this month as she helped Switzerland reach the final for the first time.

She won all five of her singles matches, including victories over seventh-ranked Paolini and world number two Swiatek in the final, although Poland fought back to win the team event trophy in Sydney.

Three-time major champion Wawrinka wore a T-shirt with Bencic’s photograph on it during the tournament and praised her “impressive” comeback.

“We all know we’re living in Belinda’s world. Belinda, thank you for what you’re doing on the court. Thank you for what you’re doing off the court,” the 40-year-old said.

“You still came back so quick, so fast to that high level. This is so impressive to watch.”

Bencic said the United Cup had been a “big confidence booster” before the Australian Open, where she has never gone beyond the fourth round.

She added: “Also super happy to be in the top 10 now. I think it’s been a huge goal, maybe a huge ride after the whole comeback, to come back and prove this to myself, that it’s possible.

“We keep on going.”