After a compelling 2024 tennis season came to a close, attention has already turned toward the 2025 campaign.
There are plenty of storylines to focus on, such as Andy Murray now serving as Novak Djokovic’s coach.
In an announcement nobody saw coming, the pair are set to work together until at the end of the Australian Open.
The start of a new season sometimes marks the return of players who have been off the tour for some time and the 2025 Australian Open will see a former top 10 player make their Grand Slam comeback.
Which player will return to Grand Slam action at the 2025 Australian Open?
Several players, including Nick Kyrgios, are set to make a Grand Slam return at the Australian Open in January 2025.
One of those is Belinda Bencic, who has not competed at a major since the 2023 US Open, and has played her most recent WTA Tour match in San Diego in September 2023. Bencic has not played at the Melbourne Park since 2023 and she is set to use her protected ranking.
Bencic, a former Olympic champion, expressed her desire to come back to the tour after taking some time off to have a baby.
“I’m not yet at the absolute peak of my tennis and fitness level, but I feel really good and ready to compete,” Bencic said back in October.
“I want to test myself in a competitive setting to see what we need to work on to start the next season in top form. We also want to see how we can logistically manage everyday life at the tournament with Bella.”
Who did Belinda Bencic beat to win the Tokyo Olympics gold medal?
The biggest trophy of Bencic’s career came at the delayed Olympic Games in 2021, where she won the gold medal. It was a tough road to the title, which began with straight set victories over Jessica Pegula and Misaki Doi.
Each match after the second round went to three sets, as Bencic vanquished Barbora Krejčíková, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Elena Rybakina, before overcoming Markéta Vondroušová in the championship match to become Olympic champion.
“I think to win the Olympic gold medal, it’s really like a dream coming true,” Bencic told Tennis Majors in 2021. “Of course I have dreamed about it, but you’re not really going to achieve it, achieve it right away and everything.
“It was my first Olympics I played. For me it was very kind of not a surprise but very happy that I kind of reached. Unbelievable almost.”
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