Photo credit: Jon Buckle/ROLEX
Grand Slam tennis requires tremendous timing.
Belinda Bencic knows all about proper pacing—and the value of pregnant pause.
World No. 35 Bencic beat talented teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-6(3), 7-6(2) to advance to her maiden Wimbledon semifinal today.
The 28-year-old Bencic made history as the second Swiss woman to reach the Wimbledon final four, following in the footsteps of her mentor, the legendary Hall of Famer Martina Hingis. Bencic continues her bid to become the third mom in Open Era history to win Wimbledon.
“It’s crazy, it's unbelievable, it’s a dream come,” a beaming Bencic said afterward. “I tried not to think about it with the match points.
“I’m just speechless. It’s just my second Grand Slam final overall, and first at Wimbledon. I’m just speechless. I’m so happy.”
New mom Bencic did it all with baby on board. Bencic gave birth to daughter Bella on April 23rd, 2024.
Consider the 2021 Olympic gold-medal champion was ranked No. 1213 last November as she launched her comeback from maternity leave. Last February, the 28-year-old Swiss won her first title since becoming a mom in Abu Dhabi.
Today, 15 months after giving birth, Bencic scored one of her biggest wins that propels her to No. 20 in the live rankings.
A decade after winning her lone grass-court crown in Eastbourne, Bencic will face former world No. 1 Iga Swiatek tomorrow for a spot in Saturday’s final.
Earlier, former Wimbledon girls’ champion Swiatek stopped Liudmila Samsonova 6-2, 7-5, saving eight of 10 break points along the way. Swiatek surged into her first Wimbledon semifinal and has now reached semifinals or better at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
Bencic, who could be notoriously tough on herself earlier in her career, said she’s grateful for this inspired Wimbledon run.
“I’m very proud,” Bencid said. “All my career I didn’t say a lot to myself, but after having Bella I say it every day.
“We worked so hard on the comeback. We are just enjoying life on tour. Traveling with Bella, we’ve been able to create amazing memories. I’m just happy to be able to play again.”
This first meeting between the pair featured quality rallies with each woman trying to take offensive initiative.
Ultimately, Bencic overcame Andreeva’s superior speed and versatility by landing a higher first-serve percentage (74 percent), cracking deep drives down the line off both wings and persistently pounding the Russian’s weaker forehand wing until it bled errors.
Forehand frailty was evident as the 18-year-old Andreeva, at times, went exclusively to the slice forehand because she wasn’t confident in landing her traditional topspsin forehand. Stats show 17 of Andreeva’s 35 unforced errors came from her unruly forehand wing, but truth be told it seemed like even more.
Still, despite the forehand failings, Andreeva put herself in position to win both sets only to see Bencic outplay her in both breakers. Andreeva betrayed her own cause with a brutal backhand miss in the first tiebreaker.
A disconsolate Andreeva, who had not dropped a set before today’s quarterfinals, wiped away tears as she walked off court.
The first teenager to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Victoria Azarenka and Sabine Lisicki in 2009, Andreeva stung 35 winners—15 more than her opponent—but grew a bit more defensive at crunch time of both sets.
Serving at 4-5, Andreeva was down love-15 when she fired a flurry of winners to answer and level after 10 games.
In the next game, Bencic boldly saved two break points, attacking under duress, to hold for 6-5.
A well-played opening set turned in the tiebreaker on a mind-numbing error from the teenager.
Down 2-3, Andreeva hit a fine serve, drew the short ball she sought and set up for her most stable shot—the two-handed backhand. Andreeva could have done anything with the ball—except for what she did, which was badly bungling a bachand wide. That cringe-worthy miscue gifted Bencic the mini break and a 4-2 lead.
Straddling the baseline, Bencic cut off the angle with a crisp crosscourt forehand for 5-3.
When Andreeva netted successive forehands, Bencic snatched a one-set lead after 58 minutes.
Bencic served 74 percent and won six of seven net points in the opener. Ultimately, the Swiss stylist’s skill taking the ball on the rise, creating angles and hitting her backhand down the line helped her take the set.
It was the first set Andreeva lost in the tournament.
How would the 18-year-old Andreeva respond playing from behind for the first time all tournament?
When Bencic forced the Russian to hit running forehands, Andreeva often played slice forehands on the run, which helped her extend points but lacked the sting of her topspin forehand.
Bencic banged a return down the line for break point in the third game of set two. This time, Andreeva hit out on her forehand to save the break point.
Slapping a forehand into net, Andreeva faced a second break point, but played a strong attacking point to deny it.
The seventh seed smacked a 117 mph ace down the T capping a hard-fought hold for 2-1.
Trailing 3-4, Bencic double faulted to face a break point. Grimacing, the Swiss clutched at her left toe in pain.
Still, Bencic hung tough hitting the wide serve and smartly playing her backhand right down the middle. That sparked a tense hold to even after eight games. The trainer came out for treatment, but Bencic waved her off and got right back to business.
“I think it’s my toenail—they always crack,” Bencic said afterward. “It’s the life of a tennis player. I didn’t want to take a medical tiebreak so you don’t have to see this.”
A stressed Bencic barked at her box, but Andreeva couldn’t consistently make the Swiss move to test that toe issue. Andreeva’s backhand betrayed her with successive misses as she handed Bencic the first break of the quarterfinal after one hour, 45 minutes of play.
The world No. 35 served for her first Wimbledon semifinal and was two points from the win at 30-all, but Andreeva wasn’t done.
Playing almost exclusively the slice forehand—including a flurry of forehand chips during one rally—Andreeva refused to miss, eventually drawing the error to earn her first break and level it at 5-all.
The recharged Russian rolled through a strong hold at 15 for 6-5.
Taking the ball earlier, Bencic attacked the Andreeva’s forehand coaxing four forehand misses in the first six points for a 5-2 lead. Andreeva double faulted to fall behind 6-2.
On her first match point, Bencic sent the teenager careening corner to corner then threw down a bounce smash to end a two hour, seven minute battle tossing her Yonex racquet aside and beaming to her box.
Mom’s day came today and Bencic will try to continue this wondrous comeback ride tomorrow against Swiatek.