AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 17, 2026

Belinda Bencic

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Belinda, welcome back to Melbourne. Congratulations on your United Cup results. How are you feeling heading into the AO?

BELINDA BENCIC: Thank you. It's really great to be here back in the AO. Yeah, I had a good start of the year. I had a good start of the year and, you know, gained some confidence, playing a lot of matches already.

So for sure now practicing, trying to get ready for AO. It's a new tournament, so a new start and very excited to play.

Q. Last year I remember you came in and it was sort of starting a comeback. I remember after the Coco loss you said, I'm not ready to go three sets with Coco at this point. A year later, do you feel like a different person, or like how do you assess where you are as a tennis player or when you come into these tournaments are you feeling, like, yeah, I'm here to win?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, it has definitely come a long way since last year. Last year was the start of my comeback. Exactly like you said, I physically maybe didn't feel ready yet to play three sets against the best in the world. Although my tennis level was there pretty fast.

I think the year has been long. I played a lot of matches, a lot of good tournaments, and had great results. I definitely feel like I'm playing very good tennis right now.

I think I improved so much on the physical side. My movement is good. I definitely feel much better. Of course, you know, it was not a goal, I think you know being 11 in the world. I think the next goal was to break in top 10.

So I just want to keep going on this path and not think too much what it's going to be. For sure this is a fresh tournament and a fresh start. My first round is not easy, so all my focus is going to that.

Q. Good to see you again. Obviously great United Cup run. Back in the top 10. How did you spend the week building off that momentum into Melbourne?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah, so on Monday we flew here. We took it easy the first two days trying to just, you know, recover a little bit, kind of still be happy about United Cup. But then on Wednesday I started practice again and, like, full focus on the week ahead.

I'm playing on Tuesday, so I had plenty of time to readjust and kind of, you know, get my energy going again and keep the engine up again. So we'll see. I had a good preparation here.

Q. I guess just continuing off of, like, you played Melbourne many times in your career. Obviously last year you're coming off maternity leave. How does this year feel different and compared to years past given the success you had to start the year, if it does?

BELINDA BENCIC: I don't think it feels different. It feels like I'm continuing from last year, to be honest. I kind of think also the years are kind of overflowing because, you know, there's plenty of tournaments that the off-season is becoming shorter and shorter.

I just feel here ready to go. I gained a lot of confidence from the end of the year last year and from the start of the year until now. So definitely I know what things I'm working on, what things I can still improve, but I can feel that my level is getting better and better. I don't know if it feels different than last year.

Honestly, last year I was trying to get my physical back and still competing like normally. So it doesn't feel different.

Q. What did you learn last year about managing the juggling act of being a professional tennis player... and I mean, your daughter still travels with you, right?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yes, she travels everywhere.

Q. And managing all that at the same time, that you can do that's going to help you manage it as best you can this year, because I imagine it's really hard?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yes, it's definitely not easy. It's challenging. But it's definitely something that we wanted. I think we're managing well so far.

I don't know, maybe, like, I think to be spontaneous and to be open to everything. You know, I was a person that I like to plan so much and like to plan ahead and everything. I don't think that's so much possible.

I feel like we're just winging it every day, you know, adapting to our schedules as best we can. Anyway it's always going to change my plan, what I do for the day.

I also feel like I'm more productive on the court. I feel like when I really go on the court or the gym to do fitness I kind of don't have so much time, but I do the best as I can. I go in and out. I do my workout, my practice session, and I'm done. I go back to being a mum and just life outside of the court.

Q. Curious about your thoughts about the 1 Point Slam that happened for this week?

BELINDA BENCIC: I loved it. I watched it on TV. I wasn't able to play because I was entered in Adelaide. There is a rule that you can't play an exhibition if you had another tournament in that week.

I wanted to play, but I was watching it on TV and it was so entertaining. I loved it, really. I watched the whole thing.

Q. What would be your strategy, serve or receive?

BELINDA BENCIC: Receive, for sure (laughter). Yeah, I mean, I was really rooting for everyone. And I knew how difficult it is because you're not warmed up. It's not like playing a whole match and it's about one point.

You are straight in, not a warmup, a lot of show around. And you have to be sharp and there for one point. You know the tennis was played much different than usual. Also from the men keeping the ball in. It was very fun. Very entertaining.

Q. In terms of the calendar when you are travelling, when you are taking into account being with a child, does that affect how you schedule tournaments, how many tournaments you play, what tournaments you play? Because some might be more kid-friendly than others?

BELINDA BENCIC: I would love to do that, to be honest, but I think the requirements from WTA Tour, it's a lot. You have to play so many tournaments. You have to play four slams. Of course, you are going to play four slams. But you have to play 10 out of 10 1000s, and you have to play six 500s. You have Fed Cups. You have Olympics. There is no room to not play some tournaments.

I would love to schedule more around and make it more friendly also towards my own body, which is still coming back from pregnancy, post-partum.

I would love it to have more options to schedule more, but everything is mandatory. If you don't play, of course, you have to pay a fine, which is maybe the least of the issues. But also you have a disadvantage in your ranking system after, which doesn't allow you to move up in your rankings, if you get a zero point or not playing a mandatory tournament. So that is definitely challenging.

Q. If your match and Stan's match don't overlap, will we see Stan with a "Belinda World" T-shirt?

BELINDA BENCIC: You have to ask him that. It's just really nice to see him here. I haven't seen Kubie yet, but I have seen Stan. It feels like we're a team now.

I'm definitely going to watch his match if I can and for sure root for him and hopefully we can continue to keep the contact like this. But it was such a fun week. I loved it. Yeah, maybe we can play with Belinda's World T-shirt. I am joking.

Q. Mixed doubles at the US Open?

BELINDA BENCIC: Yeah. I mean, hopefully. Yeah, why not.