Belinda Bencic's self-proclaimed goal remains to win a Grand Slam tournament after her successful comeback from maternity leave
Image: Keystone
For Dominic Stricker, it's all about relaunching his career
Image: Keystone
Leandro Riedi (ATP 135) was well on his way to the top 100 before he had to end his season at the end of August due to knee surgery
Image: Keystone
Jérôme Kym made a strong comeback this year after knee surgery
Image: Keystone
The 25-year-old Rebeka Masarova from Basel, daughter of a Spanish mother and a Slovakian father, is playing under the Swiss flag again after seven years
Image: Keystone
Belinda Bencic's self-proclaimed goal remains to win a Grand Slam tournament after her successful comeback from maternity leave
Image: Keystone
For Dominic Stricker, it's all about relaunching his career
Image: Keystone
Leandro Riedi (ATP 135) was well on his way to the top 100 before he had to end his season at the end of August due to knee surgery
Image: Keystone
Jérôme Kym made a strong comeback this year after knee surgery
Image: Keystone
The 25-year-old Rebeka Masarova from Basel, daughter of a Spanish mother and a Slovakian father, is playing under the Swiss flag again after seven years
Image: Keystone
The new tennis season begins on Friday night with the United Cup in Sydney and Perth. For many Swiss players, this heralds a year of setting the course.
25.12.2024, 11:07
25.12.2024, 12:24
SDA
Switzerland will be back at the third edition of the United Cup for mixed teams after a one-year break - thanks to Belinda Bencic's comeback. In November and December, the 2021 Olympic champion already made it clear that her potential is still enormous, even after the birth of her daughter last April. Many eyes will be on her in the coming year - but not only on her.
After just three tournaments - and one match at the Billie Jean King Cup that does not count towards the world rankings - Bencic is already back in the top 500 (8 wins, 2 losses). At the Challenger event in Angers, she outclassed world number 113 Océane Dodin 6:3, 6:1, among others. Now the tasks are getting bigger again. Bencic's self-proclaimed goal remains to win a Grand Slam tournament.
With her protected ranking of 15, Bencic has secured her place in the main draw of the Australian Open, the first highlight of the year. The same applies to Dominic Stricker, also thanks to a protected ranking, and Stan Wawrinka, who received a wild card as the 2014 champion.
Stricker under pressure
After the leanest year in decades without a Swiss man or woman in the round of 16 of a Grand Slam tournament, many are at a turning point. While Wawrinka (ATP 161), soon to be 40, will be trying to make a few more highlights, Stricker (ATP 300) will be looking to relaunch his career.
Following back problems that kept him out of action for six months, the 2020 French Open junior winner was slow to get going. However, he showed his undisputed great potential with a quarter-final in Stockholm and a round of 16 in Basel. He now needs to confirm these results soon in order to return to the top 100 before his protected ranking expires. At least he has no points to defend for the time being.
Stricker and Bencic form the scheduled duo at the United Cup. Switzerland will face France (on December 28) and Italy (December 29) in Group D in Sydney. The Swiss team also includes Céline Naef, Conny Perrin, Rémy Bertola and Jakub Paul as substitutes. The group winners and the best group runners-up will reach the quarter-finals on January 2-3.
Thanks to Viktorija Golubic (WTA 90), the year will not end without a Swiss presence in the top 100. The 32-year-old from Zurich strung together ten victories and won the tournaments in Jiujiang (WTA 250) and Limoges (Challenger). The high came too late, however, and without a flood of withdrawals she will probably have to play the qualifiers at the Australian Open. She will be challenged right away, as she reached the 3rd round for the first time in Melbourne a year ago.
Next generation on the verge of the top 100
In the men's singles, there are a number of other young talents lurking in the wings who, like Stricker, have been repeatedly thwarted by injuries. Leandro Riedi (ATP 135) was well on his way to doing so before he had to end his season at the end of August due to knee surgery. Jérôme Kym (ATP 134) had to undergo such an operation in 2023 before showing a strong reaction last year. The two Zurich players Alexander Ritschard (30/ATP 118) and Marc-Andrea Hüsler (28/ATP 159) are already among the more experienced players. They have already been in the top 100 and want to get back there.
19-year-old Céline Naef (WTA 153) also wants to build on a good fall, while Jil Teichmann (WTA 135) has also regained her footing after a difficult few months. The Swiss contingent in the WTA rankings has also received unexpected reinforcements. At the beginning of 2018, Rebeka Masarova (WTA 145) turned her back on Switzerland - much to the displeasure of Swiss Tennis - and joined the Spanish association. Now the 25-year-old from Basel with a Spanish mother and Slovakian father is playing under the Swiss flag again. She is also hoping for better times after losing 80 places in the world rankings this year. It remains to be seen whether she will be a contender for the Billie Jean King Cup.
