By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Monday, January 13, 2025
Photograph credit score: John Buckle/Rolex
Dealing with a well-known face, Belinda Bencic withstood pleasant hearth to attain her first main win as a mother.
The 2020 Olympic gold-medal champion Bencic beat 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-3, 7-6(6) to succeed in the Australian Open second spherical 9 years after her fourth spherical run in Melbourne Park.
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Afterward, Bencic mentioned going through the big-hitting Ostapenko is sort of a tennis model of Russian roulette: each shot may be deadly.
“I feel it is tough to play her. Typically it appears like a bit of little bit of Russian roulette,” Bencic mentioned with a smile. “Typically you are a spectator by yourself court docket.
“Yeah, I attempted to remain constant, keep robust in essential moments. Glad that it was sufficient as we speak. Clearly very proud of the win and with the possibility to play one other spherical.”
When Ostapenko was spraying photographs, Bencic properly gave her house to hit herself right into a gap. Ostapenko dedicated 10 double faults and scattered 55 unforced errors in comparison with 26 for Bencic.
At the moment ranked No. 421—400 spots greater than she was right now final 12 months—Bencic mentioned she’s happy together with her progress in her comeback from maternity depart that started final October. Bencic gave delivery to daughter Bella on April twenty third.
“I felt like as we speak the suggestions typically,” Bencic mentioned. “Yeah, you by no means know if [Ostapenko is] going to hit a winner or miss. Yeah, you by no means know.
“Positively results-wise I am comfortable the way it’s going. Step-by-step I really feel higher additionally in apply daily. Clearly you want the outcomes to again it up. Pleased with how the comeback goes up to now.”
Bencic believes motherhood has given her three items: stunning child Bella, perspective that there is extra to life than tennis and endurance for when issues aren’t going her means.
“I do not know if it is further motivation. I really feel like I all the time have motivation to play,” Bencic instructed the media in Melbourne. “I do that clearly for myself. I feel it provides me extra sort of, like, relaxed mode as a result of I feel I all the time need to do my greatest.
“Typically I put an excessive amount of stress on myself. Now I really feel like it is a bit simpler to play as a result of, yeah, there’s one thing extra essential than tennis.”
In spherical two, Bencic will face 25-year-old Suzan Lamens.
