So let’s talk about that ultimate juggle between being a tennis superstar and a new mother! We’ve witnessed impressive come-backs of Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka, and none other than Serena Williams – the moment now is for Belinda Bencic whose recent Australian Open third-round match against Naomi Osaka was shaping up to be an epic battle, until Osaka’s unexpected retirement handed her a pass after she had clinched the first set 7-6. Bencic’s journey after motherhood to back to the court hasn’t been straightforward and at one point, she wasn’t even sure about her Australian Open 2025 participation.

Belinda Bencic’s journey back to professional tennis has been inspiring. After an incredible 2023 season, during which she won two titles and reached the fourth round in both Wimbledon and the US Open, her journey took a personal twist. In April 2024, Bencic and her partner Martin Hromkovic, a Slovak soccer player and her fitness coach, welcomed their daughter, Bella on April 23, 2024. The 2021 Olympic gold medalist then disappeared for the better part of six months on maternity leave, leaving fans wondering when or even if she would return to the court.

Belinda Bencic reflected on her journey at the Post-match conference, saying, “Yeah, I mean, I just took it very slow from the start. You know, my comeback, and I was obviously listening a lot to my body. It’s such a big change physically mostly and then like you start to play and obviously, you realize, okay, your tennis is there. So, I took time to play last season, some smaller tournaments to kind of get into the rhythm of playing, and obviously, mastering the logistics of traveling with Bella and everything. I would say, if we wouldn’t have gotten into the United Cup, as Team Switzerland, I would have maybe considered not playing here in Australia just yet because I just would think it’s too early maybe.”

Continuing further, the Swiss star added, “But I’m really happy we came here, I felt like the United Cup and also in Adelaide helped me a lot, playing matches, going through qualifying. I’m just taking it match by match and really appreciating being able to play against top players and testing myself.”

Bencic’s return to the scene began gently at an ITF event in Hamburg in October 2024, where she eased into competition. Lightly following were her wins in Luxembourg, which brought her back into her winning rhythm. At the Billie Jean King Cup, Bencic reminded everyone of her star power, flourishing in both singles and doubles to see Switzerland tie in against Serbia. By December, she reached yet another Challenger finalist stage in Angers.

Her 2025 began with the United Cup, where she made a strong start, easily winning in the singles, and, together with Dominic Stricker, claimed mixed doubles against France. Although Switzerland could not reach the quarterfinal round, Bencic’s strong showings had all but signaled her readiness for the season ahead.

Belinda Bencic’s comeback after welcoming her daughter Bella now seems to be part of a growing trend of tennis moms making a comeback. Elina Svitolina returned to sport after just three months after giving birth to her daughter Skai. Caroline Wozniacki competed for the first time in August 2023, nine months after she gave birth to her son James, making her comeback in Montreal. After six months of maternity leave, Naomi Osaka returned to action in January 2024 to make the second round of the Brisbane International.

Coming to the Belinda Bencic vs Osaka Match, what could have been a thrilling battle instead turned into a moment of compassion, as Bencic, instead of celebrating, extended a kind gesture towards her opponent, who had to retire after battling through a first set during the much-anticipated Australian Open clash.

Belinda Bencic’s heartfelt gesture for Naomi Osaka after Australian Open setback

Belinda Bencic, with Naomi Osaka’s regrettable withdrawal due to injury from the match in Round 3 of the ongoing Australian Open, showed pure class. Once she’d secured her place in the pre-quarters, Bencic dedicated a heartfelt moment to remark on her feelings about Naomi. She signed the camera with the kind message, “Get well soon mama,” extending her sympathy and showing respect for a fellow player who is dealing with difficulties. Osaka, in obvious constraints following her attempts to endure pain, withdrew after receiving physiotherapy treatment.

On this incident, Bencic further went on to say: “At this moment, I really feel for Naomi. I saw her struggling a little bit at the end of the set. That’s not the way you wanted to see a match end. It was a good match. Let’s hope she gets better soon so she can have a good season.”

For Bencic the journey at the Australian Open goes on, but another tough road is ahead. After fighting through the battle of mamas in her last match, Bencic will now go up against the boisterous young, Coco Gauff, in the fourth round on Sunday, January 19.

It’s not the first time Bencic has reached this stage—her previous best results in Melbourne Park were recorded in 2016 and 2023, although it seems the stakes are higher this time. For the Olympic gold medalist, hunting for her first Grand Slam title, the upcoming match is important. Are you backing her to win?