As top players enjoy their off-season, former world No. 4 Belinda Bencic is focused on regaining her form in the final weeks of the tennis season. After giving birth to her first child earlier this year, Bencic took a 13-month hiatus from the sport. She made her return to competitive play at the end of October, participating in W75 events in Hamburg and Petange, where she secured three victories. Following a brief rest, the Swiss player is back on the court in Angers, where she has reached the quarterfinals after two commanding wins on indoor surfaces.
In her opening match, Bencic faced Patricia Maria Tig, winning decisively with a score of 6-4, 6-1. The Swiss player showcased her resilience by saving all four break points against her and took control of the second set to finish the match in style. In the second round, Bencic continued her strong performance against Mariam Bolkvadze, delivering a dominant 6-1, 6-1 victory in just 69 minutes. During this match, she dropped only 13 points across seven service games and successfully defended two break points. Bencic excelled in her return games, winning 60% of the points and creating six break points, of which she converted five, allowing her to advance swiftly to the quarterfinals.
Bencic’s match against Bolkvadze began with the latter holding serve after a deuce. However, Bencic quickly seized the momentum, breaking her opponent’s serve after forcing an error with a sharp return. She consolidated her break with a solid hold and continued to dominate by breaking Bolkvadze again at 3-1. After saving two break points in the sixth game, Bencic capitalized on a forehand error from Bolkvadze to take a commanding 5-1 lead. The Swiss player then closed out the first set 6-1.
In the second set, Bencic maintained her dominance, holding serve after deuce and breaking Bolkvadze again with a forehand winner. After rattling off nine consecutive games, Bencic held a 4-1 advantage before Bolkvadze finally held serve in the fourth game. However, Bencic quickly regained control, breaking Bolkvadze at love to move ahead 5-1. Serving for the match, she showcased her skill with a backhand winner to earn match points, ultimately sealing her victory with a forehand down the line.
Bencic will now face French player Oceane Dodin in the quarterfinals on Friday, continuing her strong comeback in the final stretch of the season.
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