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$ $12,417,970
Singles
Career record	392–206 (65.55%)
Career titles	8
Highest ranking	No. 4 (17 February 2020)
Current ranking	No. 421 (6 January 2025)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	4R (2016, 2023, 2025)
French Open	3R (2019, 2022)
Wimbledon	4R (2015, 2018, 2023)
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. 666 (6 January 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: 23–8 (74.19%)
Hopman Cup	W (2018, 2019)
Medal record Representing  Switzerland Olympic Games Gold 2020 Tokyo Singles Silver 2020 Tokyo Doubles

Belinda Bencic is a professional tennis player from Switzerland. She was born on March 10, 1997. Belinda reached her highest ranking of world No. 4 in February 2020. She has won eight singles titles and two doubles titles on the WTA Tour.

One of Belinda's biggest achievements is winning a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She also won a silver medal in women's doubles at the same Olympics. Before becoming a pro, Belinda was the world's best junior player. She won two major junior titles in 2013 at the French Open and Wimbledon.

Belinda started playing professionally and quickly made it into the top 100 players. Her big moment came at the 2014 US Open, where she was the youngest player to reach the quarterfinals since Martina Hingis in 1997. In 2015, she won her first two WTA Tour titles. This included the Canadian Open, where she beat four of the top six players in the world. She then entered the top ten rankings at just 18 years old.

From 2016 to 2018, Belinda faced many injuries. Her ranking dropped outside the top 300. But she made an amazing comeback in 2019. She won another big title at the Dubai Championships and reached her first major semifinal at the US Open. She also made it to the semifinals of the WTA Finals. For her incredible return, she won the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award. After having a baby in 2024, Belinda returned to playing tennis.

Early Life and Tennis Start

Belinda Bencic was born in Flawil, Switzerland. Her parents, Dana and Ivan Benčič, were from Czechoslovakia. Her father's family moved to Switzerland in 1968. This was to escape the invasion by the Soviet Union. Her father was a professional hockey player. Her mother was a skilled handball player.

Belinda started playing tennis when she was only two years old. By age four, she was training with her father for an hour every day. She played in her first national tournament at four. She often played against much older kids. Her father encouraged her to try and win at least two games per set.

When Belinda was five, her father asked Melanie Molitor for advice. Melanie is the mother and coach of Martina Hingis, a famous Swiss tennis player. Martina Hingis was a top player when Belinda was born. This inspired Belinda's father to introduce her to tennis. Belinda worked with Melanie Molitor once a week for about a year.

At age six, Belinda spent six months at Nick Bollettieri's tennis academy in Florida. She won several tournaments for kids under ten there. Her father also found a sponsor, Marcel Niederer, a childhood friend. This allowed her father to quit his job. He could then travel and coach Belinda full-time. In 2004, when Belinda was seven, her family moved to Wollerau. This was so she could train daily at Molitor's new academy. She continued to train with Molitor and sometimes with Hingis herself.

Junior Tennis Career

Belinda Bencic at the 2013 US Open

Belinda Bencic was once the world's top junior tennis player. She started playing on the ITF Junior Circuit in 2010 when she was 13. In 2012, she won two big junior events. She also played in her first junior major tournaments. She reached the doubles finals at Wimbledon and the US Open that year. She ended 2012 by winning a top-level tournament in Mexico.

In 2013, Belinda focused on professional events for a while. When she returned to junior tennis, she won her first five tournaments. She had an amazing winning streak of 39 matches in singles. Her titles included the French Open and Wimbledon junior singles. She beat Antonia Lottner in the French Open final. At Wimbledon, she defeated Taylor Townsend.

Belinda was the first girl to win both the French Open and Wimbledon junior singles in the same year since Amélie Mauresmo in 1996. She was also the first Swiss girl to win a junior Grand Slam singles title since Martina Hingis in 1994. Her winning streak ended in July. She also reached another Grand Slam doubles final at the US Open. With all her success, Belinda became the world No. 1 junior in June. She finished the year as the ITF Junior World Champion.

Professional Tennis Journey

2011–2014: Rising Star and US Open Quarterfinal

Belinda Bencic 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. Later that year, she played in her first WTA Tour qualifying round. In 2012, she made her main-draw debut at the Luxembourg Open. She lost to the famous Venus Williams. A few weeks before, Belinda had 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. Later that year, she won her first WTA main-draw match in Japan. By the end of 2013, she was ranked No. 184. This was a huge jump from No. 612 at the start of the year.

In 2014, Belinda played only WTA Tour events. She made her Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open. She beat Kimiko Date-Krumm, one of the oldest players in the draw. She then lost to the eventual champion, Li Na. In April, she reached the semifinals of the Charleston Open. She beat four top 100 players there. This helped her enter the top 100 for the first time. She was less than a month past her 17th birthday.

Belinda reached the third round at Wimbledon. Then, she made it to the quarterfinals at the US Open. During this tournament, she beat two top-ten players: Angelique Kerber and Jelena Janković. She became the youngest quarterfinalist at the US Open since Martina Hingis in 1997. After this, she rose to world No. 33. She ended the year by reaching her first WTA final in Tianjin. She was named WTA Newcomer of the Year.

2015: First Big Titles and Top 15 Ranking

Belinda Bencic at the 2015 Sydney International

The first half of 2015 was a bit tough for Belinda. She only won multiple matches twice. She reached the fourth round at Indian Wells and Miami. At Indian Wells, she beat Caroline Wozniacki, who was ranked No. 5. This was her highest-ranked win at the time.

Things changed 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. Then, she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon.

In August, Belinda played her best tennis at the Canadian Open. She won the title there. On her way to the win, she defeated six of the top 25 players. This included four of the top six. She beat Serena Williams, who was world No. 1. Serena had only lost one match all season. Belinda then beat Simona Halep in the final. This win made Belinda No. 12 in the world. She reached another final later that month in Japan. She ended her season early due to leg and hand injuries.

2016–2017: Injuries and Comeback

Belinda Bencic at the 2016 Eastbourne International

Belinda started 2016 well. She reached the semifinals in Sydney. She also made it to the fourth round at the Australian Open. At the St. Petersburg Trophy, she was the top seed. She finished as 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 challenges. She had to stop playing in Miami due to injury. She also missed almost the entire clay-court season. This included the French Open, because of a back injury. She returned for the grass season. But she couldn't play as well as before. She had to stop playing at Wimbledon due to a wrist injury. By the end of 2016, her ranking dropped to No. 43.

Belinda continued to struggle with injuries in 2017. In April, she had surgery on her left wrist. This kept her out for several months. By September, her ranking had fallen to No. 312. But she quickly rose back into the top 200. She won her first tournament after her surgery. She then reached the quarterfinals at the Linz Open. Belinda finished the year by winning three tournaments in Asia. These wins helped her get back into the top 100. She ended 2017 ranked No. 74.

2018: Climbing Back Up

Belinda Bencic at the 2018 Washington Open

Belinda returned to Grand Slam tournaments at the Australian Open in 2018. She upset No. 5 Venus Williams. But she then lost in the next round. For the third year in a row, Belinda missed several months due to injury. A foot injury kept her out from March to May. She returned at the French Open and reached the second round.

She did better at Wimbledon. She reached the fourth round, matching her best result there. She upset No. 6 Caroline Garcia in the first round. She also saved four match points in another win. This performance put her back in the top 50. Later that summer, she lost early at the US Open.

At the end of the season, Belinda reached her only WTA final of the year. She was runner-up in Luxembourg. She also won a smaller title in Las Vegas. She ended 2018 ranked No. 54.

2019: First Grand Slam Semifinal and Big Wins

Belinda Bencic at the 2019 French Open

Belinda started 2019 strong, even though she was outside the top 50. She reached the semifinals in Hobart. She also made it to the third round at the Australian Open. Her next big moment was at the Dubai Tennis Championships. She was not a seeded player. But she beat four top-ten players in a row to win her third WTA singles title. These wins included Aryna Sabalenka, Simona Halep, Elina Svitolina, and Petra Kvitová. All these matches went to three sets. This title helped her rise to world No. 23.

Belinda continued her winning streak at the Indian Wells Open. She reached the semifinals. She beat two more top-ten players: world No. 1 Naomi Osaka and Karolina Plíšková. She then reached another semifinal at the Madrid Open. She beat Naomi 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 reached her second WTA final of the year. She was runner-up in Mallorca. She lost in the third round at Wimbledon.

At the US Open, Belinda had her best Grand Slam result yet. She beat the defending champion and world No. 1 Naomi Osaka for the third time that season. She went on to reach the semifinals. This result put her back in the top 10 for the first time since 2016. Belinda finished the season well. She won her second title of the year in Moscow. 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 also won the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award again.

2020–2021: Olympic Gold Medalist

Belinda Bencic 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. But she lost after a great comeback from her opponent. She had not won a WTA 500-level title in two years.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Belinda had an amazing run. She beat strong players like Jessica Pegula and 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 at the Olympics. Belinda also won a silver medal in the women's doubles. She teamed up with Viktorija Golubic.

Belinda reached the quarterfinals of the 2021 US Open. She was seeded 11th. She beat several players without losing a set. But she lost to the eventual champion, Emma Raducanu, in the quarterfinals.

2022: First Clay Court Title

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

At the Miami Open, Belinda had a great tournament. 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 then defeated Ons Jabeur to win her first WTA title on clay. This was her sixth title overall. However, she lost to Ons Jabeur in her next event. At the French Open, she lost in the third round.

Belinda reached the final of the German Open. She lost to Ons Jabeur again. At Wimbledon, she lost in the first round. At the Canadian Open, she beat Serena Williams to reach the quarterfinals.

2023: Two Titles and Top 10 Return

Belinda Bencic at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships

In Adelaide, Belinda reached the final. She beat strong players like 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 even saved three match points in that final!

In May, she lost in the first round of the French Open. At Wimbledon, she reached the fourth round again. She beat Katie Swan, Danielle Collins, and Magda Linette. She then lost to world No. 1 Iga Świątek. She even had two match points in that match.

Later in the summer, she reached two quarterfinals in North America. She lost to Coco Gauff and Liudmila Samsonova. In November, Belinda announced she was pregnant. She had not played since September.

2024: Return to the Tour

In October, six months after having her daughter, Belinda returned to tennis. She played in two smaller tournaments. She reached the quarterfinals in Luxembourg. She then helped Switzerland win against Serbia in the Billie Jean King Cup. She won her singles match and a doubles match.

In December, Belinda received a special entry into a WTA 125 tournament in France. She reached the final, but lost in three sets. Despite the loss, her ranking improved a lot. She moved up over 400 places. She also reached the doubles final at the same tournament.

2025: Australian Open Fourth Round

Belinda started 2025 playing for Switzerland at the United Cup. She won her singles match and a doubles match against France. She lost her singles match against Italy.

Using a special ranking, Belinda entered the main draw at the Australian Open. She defeated Jelena Ostapenko and Suzan Lamens. She reached the fourth round when Naomi Osaka retired from their match. She then lost her next match to Coco Gauff.

Playing Style

Belinda Bencic has an "all-court game." This means she can play well from anywhere on the court. She has an aggressive style. People often compare her to Martina Hingis. Both are Swiss, have Slovak roots, and were coached by Hingis's mother. Hingis herself said Belinda is stronger and hits more winners.

A tennis coach called her "unbelievably smart." 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. 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 from the back of the court. She can also hit tricky lob shots or 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 good on all court surfaces. But she has said her favorite surface is grass.

Coaches

As a junior, Belinda was coached by her father and Melanie Molitor. Molitor coached her daily from 2004 to 2012. After that, her father, Ivan, became her main coach again. In late 2017, she hired Iain Hughes while recovering from surgery. Vladimír Pláteník worked with her in 2018. Then her father returned as her main coach. Belinda was coached by Dmitry Tursunov until April 2023.

Endorsements

Belinda Bencic has deals with sports companies. She has used Yonex racquets since she became a professional. She was also endorsed by Adidas for clothing and shoes from 2011. In 2015, she signed a big deal with Yonex for all her gear. In 2018, she switched to Nike for clothing and shoes. In 2023, she changed to Asics for her clothing and footwear. She uses the Yonex EZONE 100 racquet. In 2022, she became an ambassador for a Swiss digital bank called Alpian.

Personal Life

Belinda has a younger brother named Brian. He is three years younger and also plays tennis. He trained with her at Molitor's academy. He was ranked among the top 200 junior players.

Belinda has both Swiss and Slovak citizenship. In November 2023, Belinda announced she was pregnant. Her daughter was born on April 23, 2024.

Career Statistics

Grand Slam Performance Timelines

Singles

Doubles

Olympic Games Medal Matches

Singles: 1 (Gold Medal)

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Opponent	Score
Gold	2020	Tokyo	Hard	Markéta Vondroušová	7–5, 2–6, 6–3

Doubles: 1 (Silver Medal)

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Silver	2020	Tokyo	Hard	Viktorija Golubic	Barbora Krejčíková Kateřina Siniaková	5–7, 1–6

Images for kids

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2023 US Open

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2013 US Open

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2014 Italian Open

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2015 Sydney International

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2016 Eastbourne International

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2018 Washington Open

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2019 French Open

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2020 Australian Open

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  Belinda Bencic at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships

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  Belinda Bencic serving