Belinda Bencic is back in the final of a WTA tournament for the first time since becoming a mother. In Abu Dhabi, the 27-year-old from eastern Switzerland wins in the semi-final against world number 5 Yelena Rybakina.
07.02.2025, 18:24
07.02.2025, 18:25
SDA
Bencic (WTA 157) beat the Kazakh Rybakina 3:6, 6:3, 6:4. In the final, she will face the unseeded Ashlyn Krueger (WTA 51) from the USA at the same venue where she won her last title two years ago.
In a high-class match, Bencic impressed with her stamina and strong nerves. She lost the first set against the strong-serving Rybakina after the only break at 2:4. The second set was also decided by just one loss of serve, this time the Swiss made it 2:0 straight away. She then fended off two chances from the 2022 Wimbledon winner.
The third set started with three breaks before Bencic pulled away to 3:1 and never let go of her lead. She made a preliminary decision with a second service break for 5:2. Although she missed two match points at 5:2, she served out confidently at 5:4. After 2:08 hours, the 2021 Olympic champion used her fourth match point to achieve her most valuable success since her comeback last November.
Bencic's return after the birth of her daughter Bella almost ten months ago is quite astonishing. After just seven tournaments, four of them at WTA level, the young mother is already back in the top 100. By comparison, the other players have between 16 and 26 tournaments in their rankings.
Her chances of winning her ninth WTA title are now very much intact. In this form, Bencic is the clear favorite in her first duel with Ashlyn Krueger. The American won her only final to date in Osaka in September 2023, but only in the 250 category. Bencic is still unbeaten at the WTA 500 tournament in Abu Dhabi after winning the title two years ago.
