Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina have etched their names into tennis history by becoming the first two mothers to be ranked inside the women’s world top 10 at the same time, marking a powerful milestone for the sport and for female athletes returning after childbirth.
In the latest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) rankings, Switzerland’s Bencic has climbed to ninth place, while Ukraine’s Svitolina has moved up to 10th. Their simultaneous presence in the elite group highlights both players’ remarkable comebacks and the growing support structures for mothers on the professional tennis circuit.
Bencic, aged 28, welcomed her daughter Bella in April 2024. After stepping away from competition for nearly a year, she returned to the tour and has steadily rebuilt her ranking. Her rise to ninth comes after an 11-month maternity break, a journey that required not only physical recovery but also mental resilience and long-term planning.
The Swiss star, a former Olympic gold medallist, described her return to the highest level as one of the proudest achievements of her career. She acknowledged that the challenges faced by athlete mothers are often underestimated by those outside the sport.
“Very few people truly understand how demanding this journey is,” Bencic said. “My family, my team, and I have invested everything we had—energy, discipline, and belief—to reach this point. To be back inside the top 10 means more than just a ranking number.”
Elina Svitolina’s climb back into the elite tier is equally inspiring. The 31-year-old Ukrainian gave birth to her daughter Skai in October 2022 and has since made a steady return to top-level tennis. Her move up two places to 10th in the rankings follows an impressive run to the semi-finals of the Australian Open earlier this year.
Svitolina, a former world number three who reached that career-high ranking in 2018, has long been regarded as one of the tour’s most consistent competitors. Her latest achievement reinforces her reputation as a fighter, both on and off the court.
“Coming back into the top 10 as a mother means everything to me,” Svitolina said. “I’m incredibly proud of my resilience and determination, and I’m grateful to the fans who continue to support me through every step of this journey.”
Svitolina, who is married to French tennis star Gael Monfils, has balanced professional commitments with motherhood while remaining competitive at the sport’s highest level. Her success, alongside Bencic’s, sends a strong message about what is possible for women returning to elite sport after starting a family.
The WTA has played a key role in supporting such comebacks. Under current rules, players returning from maternity leave can use their protected ranking to enter up to 12 tournaments over a three-year period following the birth of their child. This regulation allows returning mothers to avoid starting from scratch and provides a fair pathway back into top-level competition.
In addition, the WTA introduced a landmark rule last summer to further support family planning. Female players who choose to freeze eggs or embryos in order to start a family later in life will now also have their rankings protected. The move has been widely praised as a progressive step that recognises the unique challenges faced by women in professional sport.
While the achievements of Bencic and Svitolina dominated headlines in the women’s game, there were also notable changes in the men’s ATP rankings following the Australian Open.
Novak Djokovic has climbed to third in the world rankings, replacing Germany’s Alexander Zverev. The 38-year-old Serb’s rise comes after his run to the final in Melbourne, where he was aiming to secure a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title.
Djokovic fell short of that historic milestone, losing in four sets to Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Despite the defeat, his deep run was enough to lift him one place in the rankings and reaffirm his continued presence at the very top of the sport.
Alcaraz, meanwhile, retained his position as world number one after his victory in Australia. At just 22 years old, the Spaniard became the youngest male player in history to complete a career Grand Slam, adding his seventh major title to an already remarkable résumé.
Italian star Jannik Sinner remains second in the rankings despite his semi-final defeat to Djokovic, while Zverev drops to fourth after being beaten by Alcaraz in the last four.
Together, the latest rankings reflect a dynamic moment in professional tennis, where established champions continue to compete at the highest level while new records are being set. On the women’s side, the historic achievements of Bencic and Svitolina underline a broader shift in the sport—one that increasingly recognises motherhood not as an obstacle, but as part of an athlete’s journey.
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