Becoming to a top-10 player brings high expectation and pressure, but for Belinda Bencic it is a position that she relishes.
The 19-year-old has enjoyed numerous success on the tour within the past 12 months, claiming a duo of titles at the 2015 Aegon International and the 2015 Rogers Cup. Capitalising on the success of last year, Bencic made her top-10 debut in February after reaching the final at the St. Petersburg Open in Russia. Becoming the first Swiss woman to achieve the milestone since her mentor Martina Hingis, Bencic carries of the expectation of a nation on her shoulders. There was always a danger that a surge to the top at a young age could be a case of too much too soon, but Bencic has proven her critics wrong.
“I think it was very important to get here [to the top 10],” she told Wimbledon.com.
“It’s my dream to get here so why would I always feel more pressure now? I’ve always wanted to be a top 10 player, to be on the big courts, so I should enjoy it now.
“I think a lot of people before me made the mistake of feeling too much pressure or stopped working so hard, I don’t want to make the same mistake,” she said.
The approach taken to her current position, is a reason as to why many have predicted a bright future ahead for the Swiss player. She might be only 19, but her mentality is worthy of a player that has been on the tour for years. Bencic also finds herself in a fortunate place with compatriots Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka relieving the size of her Swiss expectation.
The Wimbledon dream
Wimbledon is a tournament close to Bencic’s heart. At the age of 16 she dropped only two sets on her way to winning the Wimbledon junior title. She followed-up from her 2013 triumph by reaching the third round of the pro tournament a year later, the first time in her career that she has reached the last 32 at a major tournament. SW19 isn’t the only major that she has shined at, Bencic’s best performance so far was at the 2014 US Open where she reached the quarter-finals. Nevertheless, Wimbledon is the tournament that she would love to win the most.
“It’s Wimbledon, My favourite surface, I love the tournament so much, it’s my favourite Grand Slam. I just think this one could be a good one for me.” Bencic said.
The prospect of a shock Bencic triumph at the event this year seems unlikely. Leading up to Wimbledon, she was sidelined from the tour for two months due to injury and has fallen outside of the top-10. In her comeback on the grass, she has produced mixed results. After reaching the semifinals at the Ricoh Open, she crashed out in her opening matches at Birmingham and Eastbourne. The preparation has been far from ideal for the world No.13, but it hasn’t dented her love for the grass.
“It’s just very natural, so when I first time I played on grass, I loved it from the beginning. It was just a moment like this and I always look forward to playing on grass and every time the grass season is over, I’m like, oh now I have to wait another year to come back.” Bencic said about playing on the grass.
Seeded seventh at Wimbledon, Bencic faces a tough first round clash against former semifinalist Tsvetana Pironkova. The outcome of the match remains uncertain, but Bencic’s love for the grass is one thing that isn’t undisputed.
