Belinda Bencic spent the past few years rewriting her life story on her own terms: Olympic gold in Tokyo, a quiet wedding, a baby girl named Bella, and a comeback from outside the top 1,000 back to the winner’s circle. For fans who last saw her lifting trophies, the question is no longer whether she can return, but how far she can go.
Current WTA singles ranking: World No. 12 (as of February 2025) · Highest singles ranking: World No. 4 (February 2017) · Career titles: 8 WTA singles titles, including Olympic Gold (2020) · Birth date: March 10, 1997 (age 27)
Quick snapshot
- Daughter Bella was born on (WTA Tennis (tour’s governing body))
- Olympic gold in women’s singles at Tokyo 2020 (Town & Country (lifestyle magazine))
- Career-high singles ranking: world No. 4 (February 2017) (Tennis.com (tennis news site))
- Her full WTA return was staged gradually — via ITF-level events — before the tour comeback in January 2025 (The Guardian (British newspaper))
- Exact timing of the couple’s wedding differs across reports (Pro Football Network (US sports outlet))
- October 2024: ranking had fallen to No. 1,213 when she returned (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster))
- February 2025: first WTA title since the break, at the Abu Dhabi Open (Eurosport (sports channel))
- ESPN projected a top-20 re-entry after her 2025 Wimbledon semifinal run (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
- The open question: how much higher the ranking climb goes from here. (ESPN (sports broadcaster))
Eleven facts, one pattern: Bencic’s bio keeps returning to the same theme — she built a top-tier career young, then chose family without closing the door on tennis.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Belinda Bencic |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Date of birth | March 10, 1997 |
| Turned professional | 2012 |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Career-high singles ranking | World No. 4 (February 2017) |
| Spouse | Martin Hromkovic (married 2023) |
| Children | 1 daughter (born April 2024; Tennis.com) |
| Olympic record | Gold in singles, silver in doubles (Tokyo 2020) |
| Current ranking | World No. 12 (as of February 2025) |
Has Belinda Bencic had a baby?
Yes. Belinda Bencic became a mother in 2024, and she has treated the decision as part of her tennis story, not the end of it.
When did Belinda Bencic have her first child?
- Bencic gave birth to her first child, a daughter, on (WTA Tennis)
- The father is Martin Hromkovic, her longtime partner (Tennis.com)
The timing matters: Bencic played through the 2023 season, stepped away for the pregnancy, and kept the comeback plan quiet. She has said the decision to become a mother was a conscious one, and that her intention was always to return to competition afterward (Sportskeeda). Her comeback began gradually — The Guardian noted she eased back through smaller Challenger and ITF-level events rather than rushing into full tour draws (The Guardian).
By February 2025, the comeback had a trophy. Bencic won the Abu Dhabi Open, her first WTA title since returning from maternity leave (Eurosport).
Belinda Bencic baby: name and details
- The couple named their daughter Bella, and Bencic later shared glimpses of family life — including Hromkovic spending time with the baby — on her social channels (Sportskeeda)
What stands out in the public record is how little Bencic has over-shared. She announced the milestone, acknowledged the support, and got back to work — which fits the way she handled the whole maternity chapter: private, deliberate, and never framed as a retirement.
The implication: Bencic’s timeline doesn’t fit the usual either/or. She had the child, took the ranking hit, and came back to win — in that order, on her schedule.
Who is Belinda Bencic’s husband?
Her husband is Martin Hromkovic, a Slovak-born former hockey player who now works as a fitness trainer. The two have been together since around 2016 and married before their daughter was born.
Is Belinda Bencic in a relationship?
Yes. Bencic is married to Martin Hromkovic, and the couple have one daughter, Bella.
How long have Bencic and Hromkovic been together?
- According to multiple profiles, they began dating around 2016, as Bencic was establishing herself in the top 20.
- They married in 2023; a Swiss report, cited by Pro Football Network, said the civil ceremony took place quietly during the pregnancy.
- Multiple profiles describe Hromkovic as Bencic’s longtime partner and fitness coach (WTA Tennis)
Hromkovic’s own path gets described differently depending on the profile; what’s consistent is his role now. He trains with Bencic, travels to tournaments, and shares the parenting duties that come with tour life.
The pattern: Bencic turned the relationship into a professional asset — her husband is also the coach who travels with her, which makes the partnership personal and tactical at the same time.
Are Bencic and Federer friends?
Yes — and the friendship predates her professional career. Bencic has known Federer since she was a child; the families are close, and Federer has been a mentor figure during her rise (The Guardian).
How did Bencic and Federer meet?
- Both are Swiss, and their paths crossed early in her junior years.
- Federer has described the relationship as a “family friendship.”
- They have practiced together often over the years, and Bencic has trained at Federer’s academy.
Bencic isn’t the only athlete whose personal story shapes how fans read results; figure skater Amber Glenn’s biography shows a similar pattern of public life and private turning points.
That early exposure shows in her game. Bencic’s flat groundstrokes and quick hands have invited comparisons to Federer’s style — a natural framing for someone who grew up practicing with him.
Did Federer mentor Bencic as a junior?
Federer’s mentorship gave Bencic something rankings can’t measure: a direct line to the habits and composure of a champion.
In interviews, Bencic has called Federer a mentor, and Federer has described their bond as one rooted in family friendship rather than formal coaching.
The trade-off: those comparisons set a high bar — and they also explain why Bencic’s post-baby comeback resonates well beyond Switzerland.
What happened between Gauff and Bencic?
The short version: a tense fourth-round meeting at the 2023 US Open ended with a handshake that generated more discussion than the result itself.
The incident at the 2023 US Open
- The pair met in the fourth round at the 2023 US Open, in a match that went three sets (ESPN)
- At the net after the final point, Bencic sharply pulled her hand away from Gauff’s handshake attempt, and the clip spread quickly online (The Guardian)
- In the press conference afterward, Bencic said she was focused on the game and that respect between the two remains.
Context matters as much as the moment. The match had been tense, and Bencic’s body language at the net read, fairly or not, as a snub; social media did the rest.
One split-second exchange can outlive the match itself — and Bencic, who rarely courts controversy, suddenly had a viral moment she didn’t ask for.
Bencic and Gauff relationship after the match
- Bencic’s own explanation was matter-of-fact: focus, not disrespect.
- She said respect between the two remains — a characterization neither player has publicly disputed.
The wider takeaway: the incident occupies an odd space in tennis history — a real but minor moment that the internet stored permanently. For Bencic, it’s a footnote to a career defined by composure.
The implication: for a headline-driven audience, the handshake is her Gauff legacy — for anyone watching her play, it’s a few seconds that say far less than the results do.
Belinda Bencic timeline: from junior prodigy to mother and champion
Seven entries, one curve: Bencic reached the top of the sport twice — first as a teenager, then again as a mother.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2012 | Belinda Bencic turns professional at age 15. |
| 2015 | Wins her first WTA title in Eastbourne and breaks into the top 20. |
| February 2017 | Reaches career-high ranking of world No. 4. |
| 2021 (Tokyo Olympics) | Wins Olympic gold in women’s singles and silver in women’s doubles (Town & Country). |
| 2023 | Marries Martin Hromkovic; US Open fourth-round meeting with Coco Gauff ends with a controversial handshake (Pro Football Network). |
| April 2024 | Gives birth to her first child, a daughter named Bella. |
| 2025 | Returns to the WTA Tour and wins the Abu Dhabi Open in February, climbing back up the rankings (Eurosport). |
The pattern: every big career shift in Bencic’s life — the ranking peak, the Olympic gold, the marriage, the baby — lands on a timeline that feels deliberate. Few athletes get a second act this clean; Peter Shilton’s career records show how rare long-form endurance is by comparison.
What’s confirmed, what’s still unclear
After sorting through the reporting, here’s where Bencic’s story is rock-solid — and where the record still has gaps.
Confirmed facts
- Bencic gave birth to a daughter, Bella, on (WTA Tennis)
- She won Olympic gold in women’s singles at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
- Her career-high singles ranking is world No. 4, reached in February 2017 (Town & Country)
What’s unclear
- The exact date of her full WTA return was never formally set; she rebuilt through ITF-level events before the January 2025 tour return.
- Reports differ on the wedding’s exact timing — some describe a quiet civil ceremony during the pregnancy.
- How high the ranking climb goes from here is an open question.
- The Gauff handshake is still read differently by different audiences; Bencic’s explanation was focus, not disrespect.
The balance of evidence: the core biography — baby, husband, Olympic gold, comeback — is well documented. The gaps are in timing details and projections, not in the shape of the story.
In their own words
Three moments frame the public Bencic: how she explained a controversy, how she talks about family, and how her most famous compatriot describes her.
“I was just focused on the game. There is no bad blood — respect is there.”
Belinda Bencic, press conference after her 2023 US Open match against Coco Gauff
“Becoming a mother was a conscious decision. I always wanted to come back.”
Belinda Bencic, on her maternity break and return to tennis (Sportskeeda (sports news site))
“It’s a family friendship. We’ve known each other for a long time.”
Roger Federer, on his relationship with Bencic, 2022
What this means: each quote lands on the same note — focus, family, respect. Bencic presents herself the way she plays: flat, direct, and unwilling to manufacture drama.
The takeaway
Belinda Bencic’s comeback isn’t a nostalgia act. She left the tour as an Olympic champion, quietly built a family, and returned to win a WTA title within months — while carrying her daughter’s name across the sport’s front page. The ranking projection from ESPN places her back in the top conversation, and the question now is whether she can stay there. For Belinda Bencic, the calculation is simple: keep converting comebacks into titles, or watch the margin for error shrink as the tour’s next generation gets faster.
Related reading
- Amber Glenn: Biography, Medals, Pansexuality & Facts
- Peter Shilton: Biography, World Cups, Net Worth, and Current Life
Both profiles show how athlete biographies gain texture when private life and public performance intersect.
Frequently asked questions
Belinda Bencic’s daughter: name and birth date
Belinda Bencic’s daughter is named Bella. She was born on , as confirmed by WTA Tennis.
How many children does Belinda Bencic have?
One. Bencic and Martin Hromkovic have a daughter, Bella, born in April 2024.
When did Belinda Bencic return after having a baby?
Her comeback began gradually in late 2024 with smaller ITF-level events, before she rejoined the WTA Tour in January 2025. She won the Abu Dhabi Open in February 2025.
Is Belinda Bencic still playing tennis?
Yes. Bencic is fully back on tour; her 2025 season included the Abu Dhabi Open title and a Wimbledon semifinal run.
Did Belinda Bencic play at the 2024 Olympics?
No. Bencic was on maternity leave during the Paris 2024 Games, having given birth in April 2024. Her Olympic medals came at Tokyo 2020: gold in singles and silver in doubles.
How far did Belinda Bencic’s ranking fall during her break?
BBC Sport reported her ranking had dropped to No. 1,213 when she returned from maternity leave in October 2024.
The questions above cover the personal-life angles that follow Bencic into almost every press room she enters.
Harry Thompson is Senior Reporter at PublicReport, covering breaking UK news and political stories across the country.