Belinda Bencic credited baby daughter Bella for helping her stay relaxed after defeating teenage star Mirra Andreeva to reach a first Wimbledon semi-final.
Eighteen-year-old Andreeva was bidding to become the youngest semi-finalist at the All England Club since Maria Sharapova won the title 21 years ago but Bencic edged a cat-and-mouse battle 7-6 (3) 7-6 (2).
It has been a remarkable comeback for the Swiss following the birth of Bella in April last year, and she will now face Iga Swiatek on Thursday in just the second grand slam semi-final of her career.
Bencic is the first Swiss woman to make it this far since Martina Hingis in 1998 and, should she go on to win the title, would be the first mother to be champion since Evonne Goolagong Cawley 45 years ago.
“I’m very proud,” said Bencic. “I didn’t say that to myself much in my career but after having Bella I really say that to myself every day. We are just enjoying life on tour. It’s been beautiful to create these memories together.”
Fitness trainer husband Martin Hromkovic and Bella accompany Bencic on tour, but balancing tennis and family life has not proved too difficult so far.
“I feel like I’m still focused,” said the 28-year-old. “It’s just different. I think it’s just really natural at this point. It’s not something that takes away my focus.
“Sometimes I think it’s even better when I’m not too focused. I don’t feel so nervous before the match, and I’m just doing what I have to do.”
Her first slam semi-final came six years ago at the US Open, which had been by a distance her best major tournament, although Bencic achieved the high point of her career in 2021 by winning Olympic singles gold.
She returned from her maternity break at the end of October by playing lower-tier events and it was a strategy that worked, with Bencic finding her feet immediately back on the WTA Tour this year.
The pair had a royal audience, with the Queen sat in the Royal Box, and this was an absorbing contest from the start, with very little to choose between the two.
The only breaks of serve came late in the second set, with Bencic giving herself the chance to serve out the win at 5-4 only for Andreeva to hit straight back, but the Swiss showed her experience in both tie-breaks.
Andreeva was left to reflect on another near miss having also lost at the same stage of the French Open, but the teenager knows time is very much on her side.
“I just felt like she was playing good today,” said the Russian. “At some point I also felt like I could have played better, maybe a little bit more focused, maybe a little bit less mistakes, more aggressive.
“Today is a hard day, but I can take a lot of positives from these two weeks for sure. We’re going to move on and improve.”
Andreeva has endeared herself to the Wimbledon crowd with her tennis and bubbly personality, while on Tuesday she could be found at Court 16 cheering on her coach Conchita Martinez in an invitational match complete with home-made sign.
As promised after her Quarter Final win, Mira Andreeva was there to support her coach, Conchita Martinez, in her Invitational Doubles match 🥰
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) July 8, 2025
She even made a sign for support 🥹🤣 pic.twitter.com/paQg7Ttl5h
“I don’t know how many kilos of strawberries I’ve eaten already,” she said of her fondness for Wimbledon.
“I will remember a lot from this tournament, especially also making a poster supporting Conchita. Also, I will remember these tie-breaks.
“I guess maybe the first thing that I’m going to practise is I’m going to play a thousand tie-breaks. Unless I win one, I’m not going to be happy.”
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