Wimbledon, England – Belinda Bennsic Never stopped smiling.
From the moment when he achieved the match point in the second tiebreak of the day, win 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) number 7 sed Mirra AndrevaWhen she left the court moments after her later Victory interview, the smile was not faded by her face.
“It’s crazy, it’s incredible, this is a dream come true,” a beaming bank said that the adjacent mob saw in the center court. “I tried not to think about it at the match point. I am speechless. I am very happy. Overall it is my second semi -final of a Grand Slam, and the first is the first in Wimbledon. So yes, just Awaq, is very happy.”
It is an impossible fortnight for unwanted banks of an inappropriate season, on heels. Once at the 2020 Olympic Games, number 4 and the singles as a gold medal winner in the singles, the benik announced that she was pregnant in November 2023 and would be sidelined indefinitely. After giving birth to daughter Bela in April 2024, she returned to competition at the end of the year. While she was initially played in most of the small, ITF-level events, she returned to the WTA tour in January.
Bankik crossed his expectations by reaching the Australian Open in the fourth round and winning the title at the 500-level Abu Dhabi Open in February. But then she had to withdraw from the French Open due to injury, and was played only in a grass-court match before Wimbledon, so she was not absolutely optimistic because the All England Club was playing at all.
Through five matches, however, the bank has been almost invincible. The 28 -year -old has won one impressive victory one after the other. Subsequently, she will play only in the second semi -finals of her career, and for the first time since 2019, against the five -time prominent champion on Thursday. Ega swetecRanks out of the top 1000 at the beginning of their return from Maternity Leave, Bankik is expected to return to the top 20 in the next week’s rankings.
“I am very proud,” Bankik said on Wednesday. “In fact, all my careers, I didn’t say much to myself, but after being Bella, I really say it to myself every day, and I think it changes a lot. But of course, I have to say that it is not only for me, I will not be able to do so without my amazing family and we are also working with Bella.
“It is beautiful to make these memories together and obviously it is very amazing to play great, but it is a bonus for me. I am usually happy to be able to really play again.”
After the lead champion Victoria Azarenka And Serena Williams After giving birth in 2017 and 2018, returned to play, it seemed to enter some of a child’s bounce on the WTA tour. The WTA also introduced a new maternity leave benefit earlier this year. This year there were nine mothers in the main draw in Wimbledon.
But there are still physical demands of pregnancy, and nonstop, globotrotting nature of the tour presents a unique challenge. Parents on the tour often have to bring their help to provide child care during the long days on the site. It is expensive and can be fierce and emotionally taxed.
And there is no guarantee that a player will be able to return to the level before maternity leave. While she reached the four major finals in her return, Williams, at the time of 35 years of age, was not able to capture another slam title at any time. Naomi OsakaA four -time prominent champion, not able to achieve a third round in a slam since coming back in the beginning of last season. Fellow former chief champion Angelic Cereber And Petra Quitova Gave brief return before declaring his retirement from the game. (Quitova lost in the first round in Wimbledon last week and would be officially going away after the US Open.)
Benk was also aware of the success of the players along with the struggles of others. Elina SwitolinaWhich has reached a major semi -final and four quarter -finals since its return – but always planned to return. She told ESPN that she started slowly after Bella’s birth, just trying to feel herself again, before bringing things back and in court.
Bankik knew that she had some benefit because her husband, Martin Hromekovic, is also her fitness coach and travels with her. This meant that they would not have to be separated during the season and Bella could be with both parents. His mother also voluntarily worked to support him for many parts of the season.
In October, the benner was feeling energetic and healthy for her first ITF tournament, but she still did not know how she would do or set a goal for herself.
“It was a small step in the dark,” the Benik told ESPN. “I really didn’t know what really expected. I was just hoping that I could reach the same level again … I was a little worried that probably tennis has moved a little further and is even faster now, and people are serving fast. Are I going to be able to hold with tempo and speed and everything?
Apart from dull questions and self-doubt about the status of his game, she was also not sure how to pack for the tournament. Since infants require a lot of gear, Benakik found himself constantly examining the sedity of adjacent destinations, which Bella would need Bella. Once the 2025 season begins, and Bankik knew that he would spend at least a month in Australia, trying to guess how much Bella would grow and if he would be able to get the milk available in Switzerland on the other side of the world. (They could not, so they were forced to stock as much as possible.)
And of course there was the issue of washing clothes, something that knows every parent of a small child well. They try to live in homes with as much washing machines as possible.
“This is definitely the logistics of things that are the most difficult,” the benik told ESPN. “You really have to think about everything. I think I do not bring anything for myself these days, but I am still overpacking all the time. It’s difficult but everything is really remarkable, even if you forget something.”
While it was a juggling work behind the curtain, Benkik made it easy, defeated during the 16 -run round in Melbourne. Jelna Ostapaneko His opener and pushing Coco goff Three sets in the fourth round. A few weeks later, he won the title in Abu Dhabi, including a decisive victory over the 2022 Wimbledon Champion. Elena Ribbikina In the semi -finals. After that top Ashlin crugger In the final, he took Bella to court and posed for a photo with him and the trophy.
“It was a super nice, very special moment,” said the benner. “She was with Martin at the media center for most of the match, but she put her in the carrier and brought her down for the third set. I think I felt as if I needed support. I saw them and it was really good. It was so natural to take those pictures with her because we all really did together and I was proud of all of us.”
Bella is often seen in the practices of Bankik. During an early morning session in Indian Wales in March, Bella was tied to Martin’s chest as he was standing by fence and saw banking work on his service.
However, the return is not all smooth. The bank was unable to participate in the French Open due to a hand injury, stopping the speed of its earlier season. He made his comeback to Bad Hombg Open last month, but lost in his first round match ACTARA Alexandrova6-1, 6-2. The two again faced each other again in 16 rounds, but this time it was a benik, which was found better in Alexandrova, number 18 seeds, straight sets.
Despite that victory, Bancik, who had not ever moved forward in the fourth round in Wimbledon, was an underdog in the quarter -finals against Andreva, who won the 18 -year -old Finome to reach the second major semi -finals of his youth career. But, in front of a mob consisting of Queen Camilla, was cool and composed. Even at the highest moments of the match sometimes, Benakik forced more aggressive Andreva to expensive errors. In Tybreak, where Andreva appeared in his weakest people, Benkik allowed his experience to guide him and got stuck in his game plan. it worked.
“I am sad that I lost, but I felt that she was playing well today,” a disappointment and said after the match.
On Thursday, his biggest win at the All England Club was removed only one day, with Benakik to reach his first major final. She defeated Swetech once in five meetings, and lost in the fourth round in Wimbledon in 2023 in her recent clash, but she knows what she is capable of doing and ready to challenge. Swiyatech, who praised Bankik’s return, was expecting a close match.
“To ensure that he has a good play on the grass,” Swiytech said on Wednesday. “Yes, I never doubt that she could not return after pregnancy. She feels as if she is in a good mood and she is playing well.”
But victory or necklace, Benk knows that it will not change much about her daily life, or matters the most, as her results on the tennis court no longer determine her happiness.
“Earlier, tennis was the most important thing for me and the center of my life,” Benjik told ESPN. “I was always constantly worrying and wondering how I am playing and who I am going to play. Tennis was constantly in my mind. And now I sometimes fall asleep and I forget that the next day I have to play a match. My job and my personal life is separated at this point. It seems really healthy for me now.”
