Belinda Bencic facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Belinda Bencic

Bencic at the 2023 US Open
Country (sports)	Switzerland
Residence	Wollerau, Switzerland
Born	(1997-03-10) 10 March 1997 (age 28) Flawil, Switzerland
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro	2012
Plays	Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	US$ 13,962,128
Singles
Career record	417–216 (65.88%)
Career titles	9
Highest ranking	No. 4 (17 February 2020)
Current ranking	No. 20 (14 July 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	4R (2016, 2023, 2025)
French Open	3R (2019, 2022)
Wimbledon	SF (2025)
US Open	SF (2019)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	SF (2019)
Olympic Games	W (2021)
Doubles
Career record	78–65 (54.55%)
Career titles	2
Highest ranking	No. 59 (1 February 2016)
Current ranking	No. 665 (14 July 2025)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	2R (2016, 2023)
French Open	3R (2015)
Wimbledon	2R (2014, 2015, 2022)
US Open	1R (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018)
Other doubles tournaments
Olympic Games	F (2021)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon	3R (2014)
US Open	2R (2021)
Team competitions
Fed Cup	W (2022) Record: 25–8 (75.76%)
Hopman Cup	W (2018, 2019)
Medal record Representing  Switzerland Olympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo Singles Silver 2020 Tokyo Doubles

Belinda Bencic (born March 10, 1997) is a professional tennis player from Switzerland. She has been ranked as high as world No. 4 in her career. Belinda has won nine singles titles and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour. This includes a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in singles.

Belinda was once the top-ranked junior player in the world. She won two major junior singles titles in 2013. These were at the French Open and Wimbledon. She joined the top 100 professional players soon after turning 17. Her big moment came at the 2014 US Open. There, she became the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals since Martina Hingis in 1997.

In 2015, Belinda won her first two WTA Tour titles. One of these was the Canadian Open. She beat four of the top six players in the world at that event. The next year, at age 18, she entered the top ten rankings.

From 2016 to 2018, Belinda faced many injuries. Her ranking dropped outside the top 300. But she made a great comeback in 2019. She won another big title at the Dubai Championships. She also reached her first major semifinal at the US Open. She qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time and reached the semifinals. She finished 2019 in the top 10. This earned her the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award.

In 2021, Belinda won her biggest title. She claimed the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She also won a silver medal in women's doubles. Belinda took a break from tennis starting in September 2023 to have a baby. She returned to the tour in 2024.

Belinda's Early Life and Tennis Start

Belinda Bencic was born in Flawil, Switzerland. Her parents, Dana and Ivan Benčič, were born in Czechoslovakia. Her father's family moved to Switzerland in 1968. They were escaping the invasion by the Soviet Union.

Belinda's father was a professional hockey player. Her mother was a skilled handball player. Belinda started hitting tennis balls when she was just two years old. By age four, she trained with her father for an hour daily. She played her first national tournament at four. She lost to an opponent six years older without winning a game. Her father encouraged her to try to win at least two games per set against older players.

When Belinda was five, her father sought advice from Melanie Molitor. Melanie is the mother and coach of Swiss tennis star Martina Hingis. Hingis was a top player around the time Belinda was born. This inspired Belinda's father to introduce her to tennis. Melanie agreed to coach Belinda once a week for about a year.

At age six, Belinda spent six months at Nick Bollettieri's academy in Florida. She won several tournaments for players under 10 there. Around this time, her father asked Marcel Niederer for help. Marcel was a childhood friend and businessman. He agreed to invest in Belinda's career. This allowed her father to quit his job. He could then travel and coach Belinda at tournaments full-time.

In 2004, when Belinda was seven, her family moved to Wollerau. Melanie Molitor had just opened her own tennis academy there. This allowed Belinda to train at the academy every day. She continued to work with Melanie through her teenage years. She also sometimes trained with Martina Hingis herself.

Belinda's Tennis Journey

Junior Successes

Belinda at the 2013 US Open

Belinda was once the world's top junior tennis player. She started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in 2010 at age 13. She reached the final of her first event in Switzerland. In early 2012, she won two big junior tournaments. She also played in her first junior Grand Slams. She reached the doubles finals at Wimbledon and the US Open. She finished 2012 by winning a top-level tournament in Mexico.

Belinda focused on professional events until May 2013. When she returned to junior tennis, she won her first five tournaments. This extended her winning streak to 39 matches. She won three top-level tournaments. These included the French Open and Wimbledon. She beat Antonia Lottner in the French Open final. She then defeated Taylor Townsend in the Wimbledon final.

Belinda was the first player since Amélie Mauresmo in 1996 to win both the French Open and Wimbledon junior singles titles in the same year. She was also the first Swiss girl to win a junior Grand Slam singles title since Martina Hingis in 1994. Hingis had won the same two titles. Belinda became the world No. 1 junior in June 2013. She ended the year as the ITF Junior World Champion.

Starting Professional Tennis (2011–2013)

Belinda at the 2014 Italian Open

Belinda played her first professional tournament in March 2011. She was just 14 years old. She reached the quarterfinals as a qualifier. She made her WTA Tour debut in 2012. She lost to Venus Williams in her first main-draw match. This was after she won her first two professional singles titles in Egypt.

In 2013, Belinda started playing in bigger tournaments. She reached a singles semifinal in Florida. She also won a doubles title in Switzerland. In the second half of 2013, she played in three WTA Tour main draws. She won her first WTA main-draw match at the Pan Pacific Open. She also won a match the next week in Japan. By the end of 2013, she reached the semifinals of a $75k event in Tokyo. This helped her enter the top 200 for the first time. She finished the year ranked No. 184.

US Open Quarterfinals and Newcomer Award (2014)

Belinda started 2014 outside the top 100. But she played only WTA Tour events. She made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open. She won her first-round match against Kimiko Date-Krumm. Date-Krumm was the oldest player in the draw. Belinda then lost to the eventual champion, Li Na.

In April, she reached the semifinals of the Charleston Open. She beat four top 100 players, including No. 11 Sara Errani. With these results, she entered the top 100. She was less than a month past her 17th birthday. She reached the third round at Wimbledon. Then, she made it to the quarterfinals at the US Open.

At the US Open, she beat two top-ten players: No. 7 Angelique Kerber and No. 10 Jelena Janković. She became the youngest quarterfinalist at the US Open since Hingis in 1997. Her success at these major tournaments helped her rise to No. 33 in the world. She reached her first WTA final at the Tianjin Open. She finished as runner-up. At the end of the year, she was named WTA Newcomer of the Year.

Big Title Wins (2015)

Belinda at the 2015 Sydney International

Belinda had a tough start to 2015. She only won multiple matches twice before the French Open. But she turned her year around during the grass-court season. She reached two more WTA finals. She won her first WTA title at the Eastbourne International. She beat Agnieszka Radwańska in the final. She then reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.

In August, Belinda had her best performance of the year. She won the Premier-level Canadian Open. She defeated six of the top 25 players. This included four of the top six. She beat world No. 1 Serena Williams for the first time. Then she defeated No. 3 Simona Halep in the final. Halep had to stop playing due to heat illness. Serena had only lost one match all season before this tournament. With this title, Belinda became No. 12 in the world.

She reached another final later that month at the Pan Pacific Open. She beat two more top-ten players. She finished as runner-up to Radwańska again. In early October, Belinda ended her season early due to leg and hand injuries.

Injuries and Comeback (2016–2018)

Belinda at the 2016 Eastbourne International

Belinda started 2016 well. She reached the semifinals in Sydney. She also made the fourth round at the Australian Open. At the St. Petersburg Trophy, she was the top seed and finished runner-up. This helped her enter the top 10 for the first time. She was still 18 years old. She was the first teenager in the top 10 since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009.

After St. Petersburg, Belinda faced more injuries. She missed most of the clay-court season due to a back injury. This included the French Open. She returned for the grass-court season but struggled. She had to stop playing at Wimbledon due to a wrist injury. Her ranking fell to No. 43 by the end of the season.

In April 2017, she had surgery on her left wrist. This kept her out for several months. Her ranking dropped to No. 312. She returned in September. She quickly rose back into the top 200 after winning her first tournament back. She finished 2017 by winning three tournaments in Asia. She moved back into the top 100, ending the year at No. 74.

In 2018, Belinda returned to the Grand Slams. At the Australian Open, she upset No. 5 Venus Williams. But she lost in the next round. She missed more months due to a foot injury. She returned at the French Open. She reached the second round. She did better at Wimbledon, reaching the fourth round. She beat No. 6 Caroline Garcia in the first round. This put her back in the top 50. She reached her only WTA final of the year at the Luxembourg Open. She finished runner-up.

First Major Semifinal and Top 10 Return (2019)

Belinda at the 2019 French Open

Belinda started 2019 strong, even though she was outside the top 50. She reached the semifinals in Hobart. She made the third round at the Australian Open. Her next big success was at the Dubai Championships. She was unseeded but beat four top-ten players to win her third WTA singles title. She defeated No. 9 Aryna Sabalenka, No. 2 Simona Halep, No. 6 Elina Svitolina, and No. 4 Petra Kvitová. All these wins were in three sets. This title helped her rise to world No. 23.

She continued her winning streak with a semifinal at the Indian Wells Open. She beat two more top-ten players: No. 1 Naomi Osaka and No. 5 Karolina Plíšková. She reached another semifinal at the Madrid Open. She beat world No. 1 Osaka again. After this tournament, she moved up to No. 15. At the French Open, she reached the third round for the first time.

During the grass-court season, Belinda made her second WTA final of the year. This was at the Mallorca Open. She lost in the final after having three match points. She lost in the third round at Wimbledon.

At the US Open, Belinda had her best Grand Slam result so far. She beat defending champion and world No. 1 Osaka for the third time that season. She reached the semifinals, where she lost to the eventual champion Bianca Andreescu. This result put her back in the top 10 for the first time since June 2016.

Belinda finished the season strong. She won her second title of the year at the Kremlin Cup. This helped her qualify for the WTA Finals for the first time. She reached the semifinals there. She finished the year at No. 8 in the world. She won the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award for her return to the top 10.

Olympic Gold and Top 5 Ranking (2020–2021)

Belinda at the 2020 Australian Open

In February 2021, Belinda reached the final of the Adelaide International. At the German Open, she reached her second final of the season. She had not won a WTA 500-level title in two years.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Belinda played incredibly well. She beat strong players like French Open champion Barbora Krejčíková. She reached the semifinals. A tough three-set win over Elena Rybakina guaranteed her a medal. She then defeated Markéta Vondroušová in the final. This made her the first Swiss woman to win a gold medal in singles tennis. Belinda also won a silver medal in the women's doubles. She teamed up with Viktorija Golubic.

Belinda reached the quarterfinals of the US Open. She won her first four matches without losing a set. She then lost to the eventual champion Emma Raducanu.

Miami Semifinal and First Clay Title (2022)

Belinda started 2022 in Sydney. She reached the quarterfinals before losing. At the Australian Open, she lost in the second round. She reached the quarterfinals in St. Petersburg.

At the Miami Open, Belinda had a great run. She reached her first Miami quarterfinal. Then she beat Daria Saville to make her first ever Miami semifinal. She lost to Naomi Osaka in the semifinal.

Belinda then played at the Charleston Open. She beat world No. 3, Paula Badosa, for the first time. She reached her first WTA clay-court final. She defeated fourth seed Ons Jabeur to win her first WTA clay-court title. This was her sixth overall title. She reached the final of the German Open again, losing to Ons Jabeur. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round.

Two Titles and Top 10 Return (2023)

Belinda at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships

In Adelaide, Belinda reached the final. She beat world No. 4 Caroline Garcia. She then defeated Daria Kasatkina to win her seventh WTA Tour title. As a result, she returned to the top 10 rankings. This was her first time back since September 2020.

At the Australian Open, she reached the fourth round. She lost to the eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka. Her next tournament was the Abu Dhabi Open. She reached her second final of the season. She defeated Liudmila Samsonova to win her eighth title. She saved three match points in that final.

In May, she lost in the first round of the French Open. In June, at Wimbledon, Belinda matched her best result. She reached the fourth round. She beat Katie Swan, Danielle Collins, and Magda Linette. She then lost to world No. 1 Iga Świątek, even after having two match points.

She played in North America, reaching quarterfinals in Washington and Canada. In November 2023, Belinda announced she was pregnant.

Return to Tennis (2024)

In October 2024, six months after having her daughter, Belinda returned to playing. She played an ITF event in Hamburg. The next month, she reached the quarterfinals of a tournament in Luxembourg. She also helped Switzerland beat Serbia in the Billie Jean King Cup play-offs. She won her singles match and a doubles match.

In December, Belinda received a wildcard to play in France. She reached the final, but lost to Alycia Parks. Despite the loss, her ranking jumped over 400 places. She moved back into the top 500 at world No. 481. She also reached the doubles final at the same tournament.

Recent Successes (2025)

Belinda started 2025 representing Switzerland at the United Cup. She won her singles match and a mixed doubles match against France. She then played in the Adelaide International. She won her first round match when her opponent retired. She lost in the second round.

Using her protected ranking, Belinda entered the Australian Open. She reached the fourth round. She beat 16th seed Jelena Ostapenko and Suzan Lamens. She moved on when Naomi Osaka retired from their match. Belinda then lost to third seed Coco Gauff.

Belinda received a wildcard for the Abu Dhabi Open. She played very well, beating Rebecca Šramková and Veronika Kudermetova. She then overcame Markéta Vondroušová in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, she came back to defeat top seed and defending champion Elena Rybakina. She won the final against Ashlyn Krueger, again coming back after losing the first set. As a result, Belinda moved up 92 places in the WTA rankings to world No. 65. She became the top Swiss player again.

In March, at Indian Wells, Belinda had more wins. She beat 17th seed Amanda Anisimova and third seed Coco Gauff. She reached the quarterfinals, where she lost. This run brought her back into the world's top 50. She reached No. 45 in the WTA rankings. She then played at the Miami Open, winning her first match before losing.

At the Madrid Open in April, she reached the fourth round. She lost to Coco Gauff again. In May, Belinda had to stop playing at the Italian Open due to an arm injury. She also withdrew from the French Open because of the injury.

Belinda returned from injury in late June at the Bad Homburg Open. She lost in the first round. At Wimbledon, she reached the quarterfinals for the first time. She beat Alycia Parks, Elsa Jacquemot, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, and Ekaterina Alexandrova. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Mirra Andreeva. She made it to her second major semifinal, where she lost to the eventual champion Iga Świątek. Because of her great Wimbledon run, Belinda moved up to world No. 20.

Playing for Switzerland

Billie Jean King Cup (Formerly Fed Cup)

Belinda first played for the Switzerland Fed Cup team in 2012. She was 14 years old. In 2014, she played in her first important matches. She won both her singles matches against France. But Switzerland lost the tie. Later that year, Belinda helped Switzerland win against Brazil. This helped them move up in the competition.

In 2016 and 2017, Switzerland reached the semifinals. Belinda helped the team beat Germany in 2016. She won both her singles matches and the deciding doubles match with Martina Hingis. She was injured for the next tie. In 2017, she helped Switzerland beat France.

In 2022, Team Switzerland won the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time ever! Belinda was part of this winning team. They beat Canada and Italy in their group. In the semifinal, they won against the Czech Republic. In the final, they beat Australia. This made them the 2022 champions.

Hopman Cup Success

Belinda played at the Hopman Cup with Roger Federer for three years (2017-2019). They finished second in 2017. But they won the tournament in both 2018 and 2019.

In 2018, they won all their group matches. They played Germany in the final. Federer won his match, but Belinda lost hers. The Swiss team then won the important mixed doubles match to win the title. In 2019, they reached the final again. It was a rematch against Germany. Federer won, Belinda lost. The mixed doubles match was very close. Switzerland won the final point in a tiebreak to win their second straight Hopman Cup.

Olympic Games Medals

In 2021, Belinda played in her first Olympic Games in Tokyo. She had missed the 2016 Olympics due to injury. She won the gold medal in Women's Singles. She defeated Markéta Vondroušová in the final. Belinda also reached the doubles final with Viktorija Golubic. They won the Olympic silver medal.

By doing this, Belinda became only the fifth player to reach two finals at the same Olympic tennis event since 1988. The others were Serena and Venus Williams, Andy Murray, and Nicolás Massú.

Belinda with Viktorija Golubic at the semifinal against Brazilians Laura Pigossi and Luisa Stefani at the 2020 Summer Olympics

Belinda's Playing Style

Belinda serving

Belinda plays an all-court game. She has an aggressive style. People often compare her to former world No. 1 Martina Hingis. Both are Swiss, have Czech roots, and were coached by Hingis's mother. Hingis herself said Belinda has a great backhand. She also noted Belinda is stronger and hits more winners than she did.

Tennis coach Günter Bresnik called her an "unbelievably smart player." He said she understands the game well. She knows how to make her opponent uncomfortable. Belinda has a powerful first serve. It can reach speeds of 113 miles per hour (182 km/h). This helps her win points quickly. However, her second serve can sometimes be a weakness. She sometimes hits many double faults.

Belinda can hit powerful shots that win points. She can also hit clever lobs and drop shots. Roger Federer praised her ability to return serves. Belinda is good at hitting the ball early. This helps her turn defense into attack. She is skilled at hitting shots down the line after cross-court rallies. Belinda plays well on all tennis surfaces. She has said her favorite surface is grass.

Coaches and Endorsements

As a junior, Belinda was coached by her father and Melanie Molitor. Her father, Ivan, became her main coach again in 2012. She has worked with other coaches over the years. Her father returned as her main coach in late 2018. Belinda was coached by Dmitry Tursunov until April 2023.

Belinda has been sponsored by Yonex for her racquets since she became a professional. She also gets clothing and footwear from Asics. She uses the Yonex EZONE 100 racquet. In July 2022, Belinda became an ambassador for Alpian, a Swiss digital bank.

Belinda's Personal Life

Belinda has a younger brother named Brian. He is also a tennis player. Both trained at Melanie Molitor's academy. Belinda has both Swiss and Slovak citizenship.

In November 2023, Belinda announced she and her husband, Martin Hromkovic, were expecting a baby. Their daughter, Bella, was born on April 23, 2024.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance

Singles

Doubles

Olympic Games Medal Matches

Singles: 1 (Gold Medal)

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Opponent	Score
Gold	2021	Tokyo	Hard	Markéta Vondroušová	7–5, 2–6, 6–3

Doubles: 1 (Silver Medal)

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Silver	2021	Tokyo	Hard	Viktorija Golubic	Barbora Krejčíková Kateřina Siniaková	5–7, 1–6

See also

In Spanish: Belinda Bencic para niños