When asked to predict a possible first Grand Slam title for the women’s side, the name Belinda Bencic continued to come up.
In 2025, the Swiss returned from maternity leave and climbed from outside the top 900 to No. 11 in the world at the end of the season.
She has performed well since the start of 2026, winning her first six matches – five of them in the Fed Cup, including a victory over Iga Swiatek – and reaching the second round in Melbourne, where she will next face 19-year-old qualifier Nikolai Batunchova.
Bencic is 28 years old and is known for his incredible ability to break corners and attack with the ball. Can the Swiss, a former world number four with ten singles titles, have the best years of his career?
Judging from her tennis and her own perspective on tennis, that may be the case.
When asked what the reason for her recent dominance has been, Bencic talked about all the improvements she’s made to her game. First and foremost, this move helps her live inside the baseline during rallies, taking time away from her opponents. No one in women’s tennis can do it like Bencic, but it’s a demanding style of play. Fitness is paramount, with Bensiske citing exercise as her biggest improvement.
“I think my moves have definitely improved,” she told reporters after beating Ketil Bolt 6-0, 7-5 on day three.
Bencic said her serve and net skills have also improved.
“I also think my serve has gotten more consistent and better. I’d also say my net attack. I see that mostly in practice. I’m still trying to incorporate it more into my game. I mean, obviously I’m pretty good at swing volleys. But I think regular volleys have gotten better as well.”
If we call Bencic’s tennis career after maternity leave her second career, then we can believe that all her improvements can bring her back to the top five, or even higher. Last year’s first Grand Slam winner was Madison Keys, who finally made her mark on the biggest stage in sports at the age of 29. Maybe Bencic will be this year’s coming-of-age story.
We certainly wouldn’t rule it out. She had two wins at Wimbledon last year, less than a year after her comeback. Of course, the odds are tough in a world where Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff are among the top three, but don’t sleep on Bencic because she’s playing so well and improving so quickly.
The Swiss turns 29 in March – and based on her suddenly unparalleled form, she could reach the promised land before even then.
