Belinda Bencic Wins Her First Title As Mother At 2025 Abu Dhabi Open
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Belinda Bencic won the 2025 Abu Dhabi Open after beating Ashlyn Krueger in the final. The Swiss player lifted her first trophy as a mother.
Bencic started a new chapter in her life as a mother only last year. She spent some time away from the tennis courts and accepted the grind of coming back as a mother.
The Swiss player started competing already in 2024, but she started at a few lower-tier events. In 2025, she already competed at the Australian Open, and after that, she signed up to play at the Abu Dhabi Open, which is a WTA 500 event.
Since she was ranked 157th in the world, Bencic relied on the wild card from the tournament organizers, which she received. In the first round, she beat Rebecca Sramkova before beating Veronika Kudermetova in the second round.
Bencic then also bested two Wimbledon champions, Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina, before taking on Ashlyn Krueger in the final of the tournament.
Krueger was having a great run herself. The American player defeated McCartney Kessler, Daria Kasatkina, Leylah Fernandez, and Linda Noskova to reach the final.
The final match was certainly entertaining for the fans in Abu Dhabi. Bencic broke first, but she was then broken twice. She responded by breaking twice as well, and the Swiss player led 4-3 with a one-break advantage.
The players then played three incredibly competitive games, but Krueger played better in the crucial moments, which is why she was able to win the first set 6-4.
However, Bencic stepped up in the second set. The former WTA World No. 4 player was much better from the moment the first ball was hit in the second set, and almost in no time, she was up 4-0.
Krueger then had one break point, but after she couldn't use it, Bencic broke her serve again to win the second set of the match 6-1 and force the decider.
Bencic likely entered the third set in a better headspace, having just won the second set 6-1. She was able to carry that momentum into the third set.
The Swiss player dominated the entire set, and after two hours and 22 minutes, she won the match 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, to lift her first trophy as a mother. Her partner, Martin Hromkovic, and their daughter, Bella, were watching in the stands.
Coincidentally, Bencic won the Abu Dhabi Open also in 2023. That means she has now won two of the four editions of this tournament. Moreover, she will significantly improve her ranking.
After the event, the Swiss player will move up by 92 places, and she will be ranked 65th in the world. Bencic stands even better in the 2025 WTA Race. She is the fifth player, only behind Madison Keys, Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff.
Many mothers on the WTA Tour have proven that a comeback is possible in recent years, and now Bencic joined the list of those players.
