Belinda Bencic brings a unique story into her Canadian Open fourth-round match against Alexandra Eala. The Swiss star has won Olympic gold, reached No. 4 in the WTA rankings, and briefly stepped away from tennis to become a mother. She returned to the tour and rebuilt her ranking while raising her daughter with her husband, Martin Hromkovič.
Here is a closer look at Bencic’s family, career, maternity leave, comeback, and path to the fourth round.
Belinda Bencic’s Family and Early Life
Bencic was born on March 10, 1997, in Flawil, Switzerland, to Ivan and Dana Bencic. Her parents emigrated from the former Czechoslovakia, and both had athletic backgrounds.
Her father played professional ice hockey in Switzerland, while her mother competed in handball. Bencic’s father introduced her to tennis when she was two, and her younger brother, Brian, also played competitive junior tennis.
How Belinda Bencic Developed Into a Tennis Star
Bencic benefited from elite coaching from an early age. At just five years old, she occasionally trained at the tennis school run by Melanie Molitor, the mother and coach of Swiss tennis legend Martina Hingis.
By age seven, Bencic was training with Molitor daily. She also spent a few months at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida as she continued developing her game.
Belinda Bencic’s Career Achievements
Bencic reached No. 1 in the junior rankings before making her mark on the WTA Tour. She eventually reached a career-high No. 4 ranking and has won 10 singles titles so far.
Her biggest achievement came at the Tokyo Olympics, where she won the singles gold medal and doubles silver medal for Switzerland.
She also won the 2015 Canadian Open, defeating Serena Williams and Simona Halep during her run to the title. In 2019, she won the Dubai Tennis Championships, beating the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and Halep en route.
Belinda Bencic’s Husband and Daughter
Bencic’s family became central to her life after she stepped away from tennis to have her first child. She married Martin Hromkovič, a former Slovak professional soccer player, in April 2024.
The couple welcomed their daughter, Bella, on April 23, 2024. Hromkovič also serves as Bencic’s full-time fitness coach, combining his role within the family with his work on her tennis team.
Bencic has credited her family for helping make her professional schedule possible. According to a previous admission, she travels without a nanny and counts on her husband, parents, and in-laws for childcare support.
Mother and daughter time 💚
Belinda & Bella soaking up the sun in Toronto!@BelindaBencic | #NBO26 pic.twitter.com/r8P9FfRwv1
— wta (@WTA) August 8, 2026
Belinda Bencic’s Maternity Leave and Return to the WTA Top 10
Bencic announced her pregnancy in early November 2023 while ranked No. 14 in the world. She stepped away from competition and focused on motherhood before beginning her return to professional tennis.
Her extended absence saw her ranking plummet outside the top 1,000 by late 2024. Rather than returning at the same level immediately, Bencic rebuilt her ranking through competition and gradually moved back toward the top of the sport.
Bencic made a major ranking jump in 2025, winning a couple of titles and rising from outside the top 900 to No. 11 by the end of the year. She returned to the WTA top 10 in January 2026.
This made Bencic the first mother to return to the singles top ten since Serena Williams in 2021. Her comeback earned her the WTA Comeback Player of the Year award.
Belinda Bencic’s Road to the Canadian Open Fourth Round
Bencic entered the Canadian Open as the No. 12 seed and received a first-round bye. She then defeated Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-1 before beating Taylor Townsend 6-7(5), 7-6(4), 6-4 in a 3-hour, 24-minute match.
The victory over Townsend secured Bencic’s place in the fourth round. She now faces No. 25 seed Alexandra Eala on Sunday in Toronto, with a quarterfinal spot at stake.
