Todd Woodbridge believes Belinda Bencic has deserved to win the WTA Comeback Participant of the 12 months award, and the previous 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion thinks the Swiss is “the most effective feminine gamers” with no Slam title.
After welcoming her first little one in 2024, Bencic returned to the WTA Tour by successful a WTA125 (Challenger) event in Angers in December 2024. The 28-year-old Swiss continued together with her robust return at the beginning of 2025, successful the WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi earlier than additionally making all of it the best way in Tokyo in late 2025. She additionally made her maiden Wimbledon semifinal this yr – the place she was overwhelmed by eventual champion Iga Swiatek.
Bencic, who was ranked outdoors the top-1000 when she launched her post-pregnancy comeback, has since returned to No. 11 on the earth.
Woodbridge: Bencic is without doubt one of the finest gamers with no Grand Slam… I hope she achieves it
“I agree [she should win comeback player of the year]. Vondrousova might be shut, however after I watch each of them over the past couple of years, and their life journeys. Vondrousova, I do know she received injured, however I noticed her lose curiosity for some time; she simply didn’t preserve the depth.After successful Wimbledon, she discovered it tougher,” Woodbridge stated on The Tennis Podcast.
“Whereas Belinda Bencic simply wished to return again and succeed after having her little one, and it simply regarded proper for me. She additionally goes down for me, and I hope she achieves this. I believe she’s the most effective gamers by no means to win a significant.”
Though Bencic has been the most effective gamers in ladies’s tennis for the previous decade, she solely has two Grand Slam semifinals on her resume. In addition to a semifinal displaying at this yr’s Wimbledon, the previous world No. 4 additionally made the 2019 US Open semifinal.
Bencic’s largest triumph stays capturing the gold medal on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
