Sydney, Jan. 12 -- A year ago, Belinda Bencic found herself 421st in the world rankings.
The former Olympic champion had dropped down after an 11-month maternity break in which she had daughter Bella. But after a solid 2025 and a superb start to the 2026 season, Bencic is now back inside the world's top 10.
According to BBC Sport, she is the first woman to enter the top 10 in singles after giving birth since the great Serena Williams did so in 2019 - 17 months after having daughter Olympia.
After being named the Most Valuable Player at the United Cup, Swiss team-mate Stan Wawrinka said the side were "living in Belinda's world". Her recent form means Bencic will be a contenderfor the title when the Australian Open begins on Sunday.
When ...