Former Olympic champion set for tennis return just six months after giving birth

Posted by Admin October 19, 2024 Tennis

A former Olympic champion is set to make her tennis comeback following maternity leave.

Swiss star Belinda Bencic is a former top 10 player with eight WTA Tour titles to her name, one of which is the prestigious Olympic gold medal.

The 27-year-old has not played since the San Diego Open in September 2023 and in April 2024, she gave birth to her daughter Bella.

Six months later, Bencic is ready to return to action and she has her sights set on featuring in the Billie Jean King Cup.

Where will Belinda Bencic play her first match after maternity leave?

Belinda Bencic took her maternity leave after reaching the fourth round in three of 2023’s Grand Slams for the first time.

Her first tournament back after becoming a mother will take place at the ITF W75 Hamburg event which commences on October 28.

The former World number four is keen to compete and see where her level is before the possibility of representing her country at November’s Billie Jean King Cup.

Excited to return to action, Bencic said: “I’m extremely excited to compete in Hamburg and very grateful for the wild card. The timing of my comeback fits very well.

Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images

“My goal for this year is the Billie Jean King Cup in November [in Biel], and I’m happy to test my level at the Hamburg tournament beforehand.”

She added: “I’m not yet at the absolute peak of my tennis and fitness level, but I feel really good and ready to compete.

“I want to test myself in a competitive setting to see what we need to work on to start the next season in top form. We also want to see how we can logistically manage everyday life at the tournament with Bella.”

When did Belinda Bencic win the Olympic gold medal?

Bencic won the biggest title of her career at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which took place a year later in 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bencic began the campaign by defeating 2024 US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula and Misaki Doi.

She then ousted that year’s French Open winner and current Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejčíková, before Bencic took out Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to reach the semi-finals.

Bencic then beat former winner at SW19 Elena Rybakina to reach the gold medal match, where she battled another former winner at the All-England Club, Marketa Vondrousova.

Bencic defeated the Czech player and came through four successive three-set matches to become Olympic champion.