LONDON (AP) — After an impressive journey lasting 11 years since her debut, Belinda Bencic reached her inaugural Wimbledon quarterfinal, triumphing over 18th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova with a score of 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Monday.
Despite facing challenges and missing five match points while serving at 5-3 in the second set, Bencic ultimately seized victory on her sixth attempt when Alexandrova sent a forehand long on No. 1 Court.
Reflecting on a tense moment at 5-3, Bencic said, “For you guys, it was entertaining. For me, it was a big stress.”
The 28-year-old Swiss star previously achieved her best Grand Slam finish by reaching the semifinals at the 2019 U.S. Open, along with two other quarterfinal appearances.
Making her ninth appearance at Wimbledon, Bencic had previously never advanced past the fourth round in any Grand Slam until this momentous match.
“I always got stuck in the fourth round at Wimbledon,” she noted in an on-court interview. “So breaking through to the quarterfinals today was incredibly important for me.”
Bencic missed the previous year’s grass-court Grand Slam, taking time off for motherhood following the birth of her daughter, Bella, in April 2024.
She shared that managing life on tour with a young child has its challenges, but it’s manageable for now. “I’m taking so many pictures at tournaments,” she added.
“I’m juggling it like every mom does,” Bencic remarked. “So, props to the moms out there.”
Bencic is set to face the winner between seventh-seeded Mirra Andreeva and No. 10 Emma Navarro, who competed later on Centre Court. Navarro previously made waves by defeating defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, promising a fresh champion in the women’s tournament this year.
Additionally, No. 8 Iga Swiatek was matched against Clara Tauson, while No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova took on Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
