Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina have made history by marking the first time two mothers are ranked inside the WTA Top 10.
Switzerland’s Bencic returned to the elite ranking bracket in mid-January for the first time since stepping away from the court in September 2023 to give birth to daughter Bella.
She is joined by Svitolina, mom to Skai, following the Ukrainian’s incredible semifinal run at the Australian Open to create this landmark moment which sees two mothers simultaneously ranked inside the Top 10 for the first time in WTA history.
To foster a sporting environment where motherhood and elite performance are not seen as competing choices, the WTA has introduced several first-of-its-kind maternity initiatives in recent seasons, with both Bencic and Svitolina taking advantage of the Special Ranking Rule for returning mothers.
Bencic said: “Coming back to the WTA Top 10 one year after returning to competition after maternity leave is something I am incredibly proud of. Very few people know or have experienced how difficult that journey is, but my family, my team and I have put all of our energy, work and dedication into it to accomplish this goal. They deserve as much credit as anyone, and I am incredibly grateful for their support along the way.”
Svitolina added: “It’s a dream to return to the WTA Top 10 and doing it as a mother means so much to me. I’m proud of my fight and resilience and I can’t thank the fans enough for their incredible support.”
WTA CEO Portia Archer commented: “Two mothers ranked inside the WTA Top 10 for the first time is an incredible moment for tennis and for women’s sport. Not only does this highlight the exceptional achievements of Belinda and Elina, it reaffirms the WTA’s commitment to creating an environment where mothers can continue to compete and succeed, at the very highest level of sport – or any profession. I look forward to watching Belinda and Elina continue to soar both on and off the court.”
In further news, Elise Mertens has recaptured the PIF WTA World No.1 Doubles Ranking following her championship run at the Australian Open (partnering Zhang Shuai). Today marks Mertens’ 40th week as the No.1 doubles player and she overtakes Katerina Siniakova who had held the top spot since September of last year.
Click here to read more on how Bencic and Svitolina returned to the Top 10 in the PIF WTA Rankings for this milestone in women’s sport, and here to learn about the PIF WTA Maternity Fund.
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Courtesy of WTA. Photo credits: WTA.
