Sawt Falasteen - In-form Bencic back in top 10 for first time since having baby

The 28-year-old won all five singles matches at the season-opening United Cup in Perth and Sydney, including victories over world number two Iga Swiatek and seventh-ranked Jasmine Paolini.

She finished 9-1 for the tournament, with her only defeat coming in the final mixed-doubles decider against Poland on Sunday.

It earned Bencic the event's most valuable player award and propelled her inside the world's top 10, somewhere she has not been since giving birth to daughter Bella in April 2024.

"Of course, a big confidence booster," she said of her form ahead of the opening Grand Slam of the year in Melbourne, starting on Sunday.

"You start the year, and you're just trying to get matches in. Obviously it's been great playing match after match, but being pushed so much from everyone.

"Also super happy to be in the top 10 now. It's been a huge goal, a huge ride after the whole comeback, to come back and prove this to myself, that it's possible."

Bencic was ranked 421 at the start of the 2025 season, but making the last 16 at the Australian Open a year ago convinced her she could return to the upper echelons of tennis.

Titles in Abu Dhabi and Tokyo saw her race up the rankings to finish the season at world number 11, with another crack at an elusive Grand Slam title now her focus.

"I'm always serious about the Australian Open," said the 2021 Tokyo Olympic gold medallist, who reached a career-high number four in February 2020.

"Just super excited to play the first Slam."

C.Hamad--SF-PST