Aryna Sabalenka Inspired by Belinda Bencic’s Comeback, Hints at Future Pregnancy Break
Aryna Sabalenka has once again hinted at taking a pregnancy break from tennis, revealing she has been inspired by Belinda Bencic’s recent success after returning from maternity leave.
Ahead of the Australian Open, the world No. 1 first shared her desire to have a child and then return to competition. Now, Bencic’s rapid comeback has reinforced her belief that such a path is possible.
Bencic’s Comeback Gives Sabalenka ‘Hope’
Bencic gave birth to her daughter Bella in April 2024 and resumed competition just six months later. She initially played lower-level ITF and WTA 125 events before making her full-fledged return to the WTA Tour in 2025.
The Swiss star has wasted no time in making an impact—she won the WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi last week, surging back into the top 100 at No. 65.
Sabalenka was full of praise for Bencic’s achievement:
“That’s impressive, honestly. She just came back,” she said. “I think [at the] Australian Open she had a great run [to the fourth round] and now she’s holding the trophy. It’s amazing, I’m super happy for her, she definitely deserved that.”
Seeing Bencic’s success has strengthened Sabalenka’s belief that she could take a similar path.
“It gives us hope that probably, whenever we’re all going to go for babies, we have a chance to come back if we want to.”
Sabalenka’s Desire for Motherhood and Return to Tennis
Sabalenka has long been open about wanting to start a family before retirement.
“I love kids, I want to have kids, and I don’t want my first kid at 35, you know?” she said last month.
“The way I see it, I really want to have a kid and then come back. And I want my kid to see how hard you should work in life to get things.”
Bencic is just the latest example of a player returning to competition post-pregnancy. Serena Williams, Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, and Kim Clijsters have all found success after becoming mothers, proving that a comeback is possible.
Sabalenka Focused on Qatar Open and Upcoming Challenges
For now, Sabalenka remains focused on her current season, including the WTA 1000 events in Doha and Dubai. She is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final, which ended her 20-match winning streak in Melbourne.
“This one was the toughest one. I think for a week I was still thinking about that match,” she admitted.
Despite the setback, Sabalenka now feels fully recovered and is pacing herself through the next few weeks.
“The schedule is actually pretty tough, especially if you make it to the last stage of the Australian Open,” she explained.
“I believe I’ll just take these two tournaments as preparation for the Sunshine Swing, and I’ll try to build my tennis, and probably take my tennis to the next level in these two events.”
While starting a family may be on the horizon, Sabalenka remains committed to competing at the highest level—for now.
