Last mom standing: Belinda Bencic secures first semifinal spot at Wimbledon

Belinda Bencic finally reached her first Wimbledon semifinal by defeating the 18-year-old rising star Mirra Andreeva. 

Before Bencic’s win, Andreeva was the favourite to win the match after dominating the tournament so far. The young athlete entered the match undefeated in sets, and many praised her improvements, especially in her play. On the other hand, Bencic reached just the fourth Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career after giving birth to her daughter, Bella, last year. 

Bencic was the last mom remaining in the women’s draw at the final eight stage, and she admitted that she “juggled” her responsibilities like a mom would. 

Bencic said that she analysed her opponent’s game before the match and added: “I stayed brave and stuck to the plan… I haven’t played her in a match before, but I felt like I was prepared to play today.”

Highlights of the match 

During the match, Andreeva played more aggressively, using her strong serve and powerful forehand to dominate the game. Bencic took a defensive position. 

Bencic stayed resilient and managed to challenge Andreeva. Although the teenager had greater power, her control was less consistent. Bencic seemed to take control when she broke Andreeva at 4-4. The young athlete then did her best to fight back, bringing the score to 5-5 and putting Bencic under pressure. However, Bencic regained her composure and won.

Andreeva admitted after the game: “Today maybe sometimes I was a little bit too passive and didn’t really use my opportunities and my chances… I can say that when I’m trying to be more aggressive on the court, I feel like I’ll win more points. I’m going to try to focus on practising being aggressive.” 

On social media, Bencic expressed: “Tie-Breaking into the Semis on the most beautiful court in the world 🍓 Quarters ✅”

 

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A post shared by Belinda Bencic (@belindabencic)

Fans flooded Belinda Bencic’s post with praise and encouragement, celebrating her win and motherhood journey. One wrote, “Every mum is so proud of you ❤️❤️❤️”, while another cheered, “A mother mothering doesn’t get any better than that 🫶”. Others congratulated her on proving that moms can have it all, calling her a special player who creates unforgettable moments for her fans.