WIMBLEDON/WASHINGTON, July 10, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)
The 138th edition of the Wimbledon Championships, which began last week with plenty of chaos and upsets in the women’s singles draw, has wound down to the semifinal round, which takes place Thursday. Among the four who remain – Amanda Anisimova, Belinda Bencic, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek – a new ladies’ singles champion will be crowned on Saturday.
Could it be Bencic, the last mum standing? It certainly could be – and why not! Bencic is just two wins away from becoming the first mother to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish since Australia’s Evonne Goolagong Cawley won the Wimbledon title in 1980.
The 28-year-old Bencic, a former junior No. 1 who reached World No. 4 on the WTA Tour five years ago, is the oldest of the four semifinalists – and she’s an Olympic gold medalist, too. The native of Flawil, Switzerland is enjoying her best British fortnight – and she’s been part of eight previous campaigns at the All England Club. However, none happened before she became mother to her daughter Bella.
The smile says it all ♥️#Wimbledon | @BelindaBencic pic.twitter.com/rzIyrz2Gy7
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2025
Three times, in 2015, 2018 and 2023, she reached the fourth round. This year, the 35th-ranked Bencic has advanced to the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time – and she’s the first Swiss woman to do so since Martina Hingis in 1997-98. Hingis won the Wimbledon title in 1997 – and the Hall of Famer is back this year playing in the Legend’s Invitational Doubles.
Lifetime, Bencic is 19-8 at the All England Club. En route to her semifinal match on Thursday against the former No. 1 Swiatek from Poland, who has won five major titles – including four Roland-Garros crowns – Bencic has strung together victories over No. 60 Alycia Parks of the United States, 113th-ranked qualifier Elsa Jacquemot of France, No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciartetto of Italy, No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia and No. 7 seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia.
Three of Bencic’s five wins have been in straight sets, including her last two victories – against Alexandrova and Andreeva. Grass seems to be suiting nicely to Bencic’s game and her British coach, Iain Hughes, has done well to prepare her. While Bencic doesn’t have the biggest serve of the four semifinalists – that would be Sabalenka or Anisimova – she has the uncanny ability to put, what one reporter described as, her “largely sliced delivery beautifully into the corners – keeping it low and out of the strike zone.” Her open-stance ground strokes hit off both wings are unorthodox but effective, too. It all adds up to Bencic’s body functioning on instinct – playing an aggressive all-court game – and it’s been effective throughout her dash to the semifinals.
Against Andreeva, Bencic ended the 18-year-old teenager’s run by winning a pair of tiebreakers to advance, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2), in two hours and eight minutes on Centre Court. Bencic put away an overhead smash winner to finish off a 16-shot rally on match point, denying Andreeva of a 37th win this season in what was a high-quality match.
Brilliant Bencic does it again
Belinda Bencic defeats Mirra Andreeva 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to reach her first ever #Wimbledon semi-final – and she does it in some style! pic.twitter.com/KfjjZv0RrU
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2025
Bencic won 73 percent of her first-serve points, hit 20 winners, made 24 unforced errors and converted one of four break points. She outpointed Andreeva 94-84. It all added up to her 38th career Top-10 triumph.
During her on-court interview Bencic was asked what she thought the difference between winning and losing was. She answered: “On the court, sometimes, when it gets so tight, you aren’t thinking anymore. It’s just your body is functioning, your instincts kicks in. It was so important to hold the serve … you want to put pressure on your opponent. I’m really happy I won today.”
Hall of Fame greate Chrissie Evert, a winner of three Wimbledon singles titles who analyzed Bencic’s win for ESPN, praised the Swiss star.
“She’s a natural athlete, a natural tennis player,” Evert said. “She has such good feel and she’s done it [after] having a daughter, Bella, which I’m sure means the world to her.”
Bencic’s 24th victory of the season lifted Bencic to her second major semifinal following her last-four run at the 2019 US Open. After winning nine career titles and more than $13.2 million in prize money, Bencic has been enjoying a comeback for the ages.
“I’m so grateful to be able to play on Centre Court, again. I think it’s just my third time. It’s always magical,” Bencic said during her on-court interview after Wednesday’s quarterfinal triumph.
Belinda Bencic’s dream #Wimbledon run goes on ✨ pic.twitter.com/bnmNZ58ZO6
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2025
Following her daughter’s birth in April 2024, Bencic returned to the WTA Tour last October unranked. She finished 9-4 playing on the ITF World Tour circuit and contributed a win for Switzerland in Billie Jean King Cup playoffs. Then, Bencic started the 2025 season ranked 489th in the world and, soon, won a WTA 500 title in Abu Dhabi in February. It came just four months after she returned and it was followed by a quarterfinal run in the WTA 1000 event in Indian Wells. Now, following her Wimbledon success, Bencic will return to the WTA Top 20 by reaching the semifinals.
No doubt, Bencic will be an underdog against Swiatek, having lost three of her four previous meetings against the eighth-seeded Polish star. They haven’t met since playing in the round of 16 at Wimbledon two years ago. However, if Bencic were able to pull off an upset against Swiatek and reach the title match on Saturday, she could move up to No. 16 in the PIF WTA Live Rankings.
During her on-court interview after defeating Andreeva, Bencic was asked to describe the feeling of making her first Wimbledon semifinal. She replied: “It’s crazy, it’s unbelievable. It’s a dream come true. I tried not to think about it during the match point. … I’m just speechless. It’s just my second semifinal of a Grand Slam overall and the first time at Wimbledon. I’m speechless; I’m so happy.”
“It’s a dream come true”
Belinda Bencic reaches just her second Grand Slam semi-final after defeating Mirra Andreeva – and she doesn’t quite have the words to express how much it means! ♥️#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/yklXup2KkA
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2025
Finally, Bencic was asked how proud she was with her successful return to tennis following her maternity leave. “I’m very proud,” she said. “All my career, I didn’t say it a lot to myself – but after having Bella, I really say it to myself every day. It changes a lot. Of course, I have to say, I wouldn’t be able to do it without my amazing family and my amazing team.”
Bencic’s parents, Ivan and Dana, have been in her box at Wimbledon, and her fitness coach, Martin Hromkovic, is also her husband and 15-month-old Bella’s father. Talk about keeping it all in the family!
“We’ve worked so hard on the comeback,” Bencic admits. “We’re enjoying life on tour with Bella traveling. It’s been beautiful to create these moments together. Obviously, to play great is so amazing, but for me, it has been a bonus. I’m just so happy to be able to play again.”
You better believe it, Belinda.
You’re a #Wimbledon semi-finalist pic.twitter.com/5ZBu0p6cw6
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 9, 2025
Thursday’s Wimbledon order of play
By the numbers
Belinda Bencic’s first major semifinal occurred against eventual-champion Bianca Andreescu at the 2019 US Open –five years and 309 days ago – making her run to the last four at Wimbledon the fifth-longest gap between Grand Slam semifinals in the Open Era.
“Quotable …”
“I’m really excited for this match. I think we’ve had some good matches in the past. Obviously, she’s a player with a lot of quality, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play her again. I hope I will be prepared as best as I can for tomorrow.”
– Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, during her post-match news conference on Wednesday, looking ahead to her semifinal match-up against eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek.
