By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 13, 2025
Photo credit: John Buckle/Rolex
Facing a familiar face, Belinda Bencic withstood friendly fire to score her first major win as a mom.
The 2020 Olympic gold-medal champion Bencic beat 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 7-6(6) to reach the Australian Open second round nine years after her fourth round run in Melbourne Park.
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Afterward, Bencic said facing the big-hitting Ostapenko is like a tennis version of Russian roulette: every shot can be fatal.
“I think it’s tricky to play her. Sometimes it feels like a little bit of Russian roulette,” Bencic said with a smile. “Sometimes you’re a spectator on your own court.
“Yeah, I tried to stay consistent, stay tough in important moments. Glad that it was enough today. Obviously very happy with the win and with the chance to play another round.”
When Ostapenko was spraying shots, Bencic wisely gave her space to hit herself into a hole. Ostapenko committed 10 double faults and scattered 55 unforced errors compared to 26 for Bencic.
Currently ranked No. 421—400 spots higher than she was at this time last year—Bencic said she’s pleased with her progress in her comeback from maternity leave that began last October. Bencic gave birth to daughter Bella on April 23rd.
“I felt like today the feedback sometimes,” Bencic said. “Yeah, you never know if [Ostapenko is] going to hit a winner or miss. Yeah, you never know.
“Definitely results-wise I’m happy how it’s going. Step by step I feel better also in practice every day. Obviously you need the results to back it up. Happy with how the comeback is going so far.”
Bencic believes motherhood has given her three gifts: beautiful baby Bella, perspective that there’s more to life than tennis and patience for when things aren’t going her way.
“I don’t know if it’s extra motivation. I feel like I always have motivation to play,” Bencic told the media in Melbourne. “I do this obviously for myself. I think it gives me more kind of, like, relaxed mode because I think I always want to do my best.
“Sometimes I put too much pressure on myself. Now I feel like it’s a bit easier to play because, yeah, there’s something more important than tennis.”
In round two, Bencic will face 25-year-old Suzan Lamens.
