With her win over Liudmila Samsonova, the five-time Grand Slam winner, Iga Swiatek, became only the fourth woman to reach the semi-finals of all four Grand Slam events. Victoria Azarenka, Karolina Pliskova, and the woman who knocked her out of this year’s Roland-Garros semifinals, Aryna Sabalenka, are the only other members of the club. However, Belinda Bencic stands in Swiatek’s way this time.

Although the Polish tennis icon requesting the ball kid to grab her more towels after reaching her first Wimbledon semifinal may have been hilarious, the match itself will be far from a laughing matter. Her opponent, who became a mother last spring, has already expressed that it won’t be a factor in the heat of the contest. “It’s not something that’s going to affect me for my [match],” she told the BBC. So, here’s a closer look at Iga Swiatek’s formidable Swiss adversary.

How did Belinda Bencic’s tennis career begin?

Just like her Polish semifinal opponent, Bencic started training at a young age. Born on March 10, 1997, the tennis player proved a natural at the sport from the very beginning, training under her father, Ivan Bencic. By the time she turned 7, young Bencic was already training regularly under none other than 3x Wimbledon champ Martina Hingis’s mother, Melanie Molitor.

Her local fame soon transitioned to international attention when Belinda Bencic won the 2013 Junior French Open and Wimbledon titles. The very next year, the rising tennis star had made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the US Open. In what could only be described as poetic, she became the youngest quarterfinalist since Hingis in 1997. Unfortunately, the injuries started severely hampering the Swiss star’s career as early as 2016.

What is the tennis star’s educational background?

However, despite the challenges, Belinda Bencic’s training never stopped. Once she and her parents realized Bencic’s potential, they chose to prioritize honing her tennis talent. Unlike other kids her age, Bencic’s parents tailored her education around her training. So, traditional schooling was never really an option, and the 2025 Wimbledon contender learned through homeschooling.

Another reason for this measure was due to the traveling. From competing in tournaments to training under renowned coaches like Melanie Molitor. As per DB4Tennis, the Bencic family moved to Wollerau, Switzerland, where Molitor had opened her academy, so the young tennis prodigy could train with her regularly. Yet, the road to glory has been difficult.

Belinda Bencic’s tennis achievements

After becoming the youngest US Open quarterfinalist in 2014, Bencic notched another career highlight, becoming the second-youngest player to win the WTA Premier-level title. She was just 18 years and 109 days old when she won the title in Eastbourne. The only person to achieve such a feat at a younger age was Caroline Wozniacki in 2008. All the training and the moving were paying off.

Unfortunately, serious injuries started rearing their heads as early as 2016. Despite the struggles, Belinda Bencic once again followed Hingis’s footsteps. At the 2016 Australian Open, she became the only Swiss woman after Hingis to reach the round of 16 at the Australian Open. However, that momentum ground to a halt next year as she needed to get wrist surgery in the spring of 2017.

Since then, Bencic has battled other injuries while reaching other career milestones. The greatest achievement of her career so far came at the start of the decade. The Swiss tennis icon reached a career high of world No. 4 in the rankings and followed it up with a singles gold at the Tokyo Olympics. What’s more? She even bagged a silver medal in Tokyo in the mixed-doubles event.

Despite the highs, the injuries and disruptions they caused have contributed to the absence of a Grand Slam title in Belinda Bencic’s trophy cabinet. Yet things are looking more promising than ever, as Bencic has reached the year’s Wimbledon Semis, making her comeback from pregnancy in October 2024.

Who are the Swiss tennis star’s parents?

A big part of Bencic’s tenacious nature and hunger to come back from adversity can be credited to her parents. The 28-year-old’s father, Ivan, and mother, Dana Bencic, have guided their daughter from the beginning. In fact, during his youth, Ivan was a passionate competitor who played hockey in Switzerland’s National League A and B. Fortunately, hockey wasn’t the only sport he liked.

Ivan Bencic, who moved to Switzerland from then-Czechoslovakia in 1968 to avoid Soviet rule, never stopped fostering his love for sports. While hockey was his first love, Belinda Bencic’s father also played tennis recreationally. Additionally, Dana Bencicova’s background in playing handball gave her the mindset she needed to support her daughter and her husband, who helped coach the tennis prodigy after working full-time as an insurance broker.

In fact, Ivan Bencic has done a lot more than simply help with his daughter’s coaching. In Bencic hit a downturn while training under Empire Tennis Academy’s Vladimir Platenik, and found herself on a five-match winless streak. That’s when Mr. Bencic stepped back in as her coach in October 2018. The result? Belinda Bencic found her stride again, reaching the Luxembourg Open final. Today, another man has helped the tennis star bounce back again.

Who is Belinda Bencic’s husband, Martin Hromkovič?

That person is none other than the 28-year-old mother-of-one’s husband, Martin Hromkovic. The 43-year-old is a former soccer player from Slovakia who later transitioned to a fitness coach. And guess what? Just like her father, Hromkovic has become a crucial behind-the-scenes figure in the success, especially after her pregnancy. In fact, Hromkovic is the reason she’s been in such great shape through the 2025 Wimbledon tournament so far.

After they had their daughter in April 2024, Martin Hromkovic became the former world No. 4’s personal fitness coach. After just six months as his wife’s coach, Hromkovic helped get her in shape for her return to the tennis court. “Martin learned a lot about the new topic, how to start, with pelvic floor exercises, abdominal and back exercises, to progress step by step,” Belinda Bencic said about her fitness coach.

“My partner is incredible, he’s doing a really great job, we’re a good team,” added the grass court Grand Slam semifinalist. Yet, there’s one more person close to Bencic who has played an important role in fostering the 28-year-old’s competitive spirit, and that’s her sibling.

Who is the Wimbledon contender’s sibling?

Besides Belinda Bencic, Ivan and Dana Bencic are also parents to a son, Brian Bencic. If you’ve guessed that the athlete’s sport of choice is tennis, then you’d be right. In fact, Brian also trained in the Molitor Academy, following in his sister’s footsteps, and ranked among the top 200 junior tennis players in the world. However, not much else is known about the tennis star’s brother.

Belinda Bencic’s Net Worth in 2025

You’d guess the 28-year-old who has been playing on the professional stage since her teenage years would be swimming in cash. However, that’s not really the case. A 2014 Forbes article revealed that while Bencic had 11 sponsors, she was not a millionaire. As of 2024, that has changed, with multiple sources estimating Belinda Bencic’s net worth as around $6 million. But one thing that hasn’t changed is her big list of sponsors.

Brand endorsements and sponsorships

Belinda Bencic has deals with multiple renowned brands, including the usual suspects like renowned racket brand Yonex and sports shoe brand Asics. The deal materialized after the Olympian ended her six-year partnership with Nike. Bencic is also the brand ambassador of multiple world-renowned brands like Rolex, Groupe Mutuel, Bongenie Grieder, Vitamin Well, and Mercedes.

With that aside, Bencic feels ready to take on Iga Swiatek’s challenge. Belcic revealed her mindset at this stage in her career as a mother in April. “When the little girl suddenly appeared in the stands in the third set, it gave me strength,” she said about her daughter Bella, as per SPORTLERIN magazine. That strength has gotten her this far, but will it be enough to beat Iga Swiatek?