Belinda Bencic is returning to tennis just six months after giving birth to her first child. The 27-year-old Swiss star is set to compete in the ITF W75 Hamburg tournament, which kicks off on October 28, marking her first appearance on the ITF World Tennis Tour in six years.
Bencic, a former world No. 4 and Olympic gold medalist, welcomed her daughter Bella in April and has been working hard to regain her form. “I’m not yet at the absolute peak of my tennis and fitness level, but I feel really good and ready to compete,” Bencic told the ITF after receiving a wildcard for the Hamburg event.
The tournament will serve as a stepping stone for her return to top-level competition ahead of representing Switzerland in the Billie Jean King Cup tie against Serbia in mid-November. Bencic emphasized the importance of testing her skills in a competitive environment: “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.”
The last event Bencic played was the San Diego Open in September 2023. Throughout her career, she has achieved significant success, including winning her most recent two titles in 2023 at the Abu Dhabi and Adelaide 2 tournaments, bringing her total career titles to eight. (photo: Jimmie48)
