Belinda Bencic is gearing up to make a return to competitive tennis after taking maternity leave as she joins a growing list of mothers competing on the WTA Tour.
For most of tennis history, female tennis players largely avoided becoming mothers because it was seen as a sort of end to their careers. Unfortunately, many believed they could never return to their best tennis after becoming a mother, but that outlook has faded in recent years.
With advancements in sports medicine and science in general, we now know that this is not true. Players like Victoria Azarenka, Tatjana Maria, and Elina Svitolina have certainly done a lot to dispel those assumptions as they gave birth and returned to playing really strong tennis.
Bencic is one of the youngest players who opted to become a mother, and she’s now getting ready to return to tennis. Plenty are excited to see what the Swiss player can do on her comeback because, at her best, she can be a Top 10 player and has been in the past.
Speaking about becoming a mother while being an active player, Bencic confirmed it was a conscious decision. She never doubted her ambition to return to the sport because she still believes that she has numerous good years ahead of her, and while some might be skeptical, there are good signs that she will be able to do that.
In a talk with Blick.ch, Bencic spoke about becoming a mother and plans of returning to the sport in the coming months.
“It was a conscious decision to become a mother now – while still in her career. And it was clear that I would come back afterwards. I’m 27, I feel good, I still have a few good years on tour ahead of me. I’m very happy with how we’re doing it.”
The plan for Bencic is clear. She wants to make her return at the 2024 Billie Jean King Cup Finals in November, playing for Switzerland. She’s not too worried that she will struggle too much because playing tennis to her is like riding a bicycle.
She hasn’t forgotten how to do it, but there are things that need to happen in order to make it easier. She needs to get fitter, but having her husband around is certainly a great help because fitness is his specialty.
She’s working really hard to get it done, and there shouldn’t be any problem. Still, there is always a chance that things don’t go as smoothly, as many before her encountered.
“The goal is still the Billie Jean King Cup in November. Playing tennis is like riding a bike, you don’t forget it. But I still need to get fitter. I’m also still breastfeeding. That’s something you have to take into account. Martin is adjusting my fitness plan accordingly. My body feels good.”
