Bencic set to return to action after maternity leave, granted ITF W75 Hamburg wildcard

Swiss Belinda Bencic has confirmed the official timeline of her return to tennis action following an inactivity period of 11 months due to pregnancy. Bencic will shake the rust off at the 2024 Hamburg Ladies Cup, an ITF W75 event scheduled to run from October 28 to November 3, as a wildcard.

The Swiss hasn’t played competitive tennis since facing a first-round exit at the San Diego Open in September 2023. In April this year, she and her partner Martin Hromkovic welcomed a baby daughter they named Bella.

The former world No 4 has set her sights on the fast-approaching Billie Jean King Cup, the all-women team event she won with Switzerland in 2022.

“I’m extremely excited to compete in Hamburg and very grateful for the wild card,” she said (via WTA). “The timing of my comeback fits very well. My goal for this year is the Billie Jean King Cup in November, and I’m happy to test my level at the Hamburg tournament beforehand.”

The Tokyo Olympics gold medallist will also test the logistical waters with Bella in the pax.

“I’m not yet at the absolute peak of my tennis and fitness level, but I feel really good and ready to compete,” Bencic added. “I want to test myself in a competitive setting to see what we need to work on to start the next season in top form. We also want to see how we can logistically manage everyday life at the tournament with Bella.”

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