Belinda Bencic

Belinda Bencic is a Swiss professional tennis player who won Olympic gold in singles at the Tokyo 2020 Games and helped Switzerland win the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup.

Belinda Bencic was born on 10 March 1997 in Flawil, Switzerland, to Ivan and Dana Benčič, both of Slovak heritage, whose family had emigrated from Czechoslovakia to Switzerland in 1968 following the Soviet-led invasion during the Warsaw Pact era. She began hitting tennis balls at two, training regularly with her father from four, before joining the academy of Melanie Molitor, the mother and coach of Martina Hingis, another Swiss player of Slovak descent, from age seven. Bencic became the world's top-ranked junior in 2013, winning junior Grand Slam titles at both the French Open and Wimbledon, before turning professional in 2012. She won her first WTA singles title in 2015, and reached the semi-finals of the 2019 US Open. Bencic reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 4 on 17 February 2020, and delivered the finest achievement of her career at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, winning the gold medal in singles. She has often been compared to Hingis given their shared Swiss-Slovak background and connection to the same coaching family. Bencic has continued competing at the top level of the WTA Tour, reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2025, and remains Switzerland's leading singles player, fluent in Slovak, German, Swiss German, and English.

Bencic is known for her aggressive baseline game and powerful groundstrokes from both wings. She possesses excellent court coverage and tactical awareness, often using precise placement and depth to control rallies. Her backhand is particularly strong, and she's capable of hitting winners from defensive positions.

Bencic's Olympic gold medal achievement elevated Swiss tennis and inspired a new generation of players in her country.

• Olympic gold medal (Tokyo 2020)
• Billie Jean King Cup champion with Switzerland (2022)
• 10 WTA singles titles