February 08, (THEWILL) – Belinda Bencic has won her first tennis championship following maternity leave, defeating American Ashlyn Krueger at the Abu Dhabi Open. The Swiss athlete, who gave birth to her daughter Bella in 2024, demonstrated remarkable skill in a three-set victory with scores of 4-6 6-1 6-1.
The match, which lasted two hours and 23 minutes, began with challenging conditions as both players encountered difficulties with their service games.
The opening set witnessed eight double faults within the first three games, with Krueger ultimately prevailing despite recording 10 double faults throughout the set.
Bencic, the Olympic gold medallist, transformed her performance in the second set, significantly improving her first-serve percentage.
The Swiss player established a commanding 4-0 lead before equalising the match.
Despite requiring medical attention for hand blisters during the final set, she maintained control to complete her victory.
The triumph marks the ninth title of Bencic’s professional career, coming exactly two years after her previous success at the same venue.
The 27-year-old, who spent 13 months away from professional tennis, returned to competition in October 2024, demonstrating exceptional progress in her comeback.
The rankings implications prove substantial for Bencic, who ranked outside the top 1,000 in November 2024.
Following this victory, she will advance into the top 65 positions when the official standings are updated on Monday, marking a significant advancement in her professional standing.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
