"They're very spoiled" - Belinda Bencic says Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, Stan Wawrinka & other Swiss stars' legacies put pressure on her

Belinda Bencic revealed feeling the weight of expectations due to the legacies of Swiss legends like Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, Stan Wawrinka, and others. She first picked up a tennis racket at the age of two and began training under the guidance of her father.

When Bencic was just five years old, she began training under Melanie Molitor, the mother and coach of Hingis. At 13, she stepped onto the ITF Junior Circuit in 2010, and in a historic achievement, she became the first Swiss girl since Hingis in 1994 to win a junior Grand Slam singles title. Her success continued, and by June 2013, she had climbed to the No. 1 spot in the junior world rankings. She ended the season as the top-ranked junior, earning the prestigious title of ITF Junior World Champion.

At just 17 years old, she entered the top 100 and made a stunning run to the quarterfinals of the 2014 US Open, becoming the youngest player to reach that stage since Martina Hingis in 1997. However, the most memorable phase of her career so far came between 2020 and 2021. In February 2020, she achieved a career-high ranking of world No. 4. Then, at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she made history by defeating Markéta Vondroušová in the final, becoming the first Swiss woman to win a gold medal in singles. She also added a silver medal in women’s doubles alongside Viktorija Golubic.

Despite an impressive career, she is still searching for her first Grand Slam title. During the 21st episode of the Tennis Insider Club podcast, hosted by Caroline Garcia and Borja Duran on February 24, 2025, she was asked about her remarkable junior journey, which began under the guidance of Martina Hingis’ mother, and how she handled the pressure along the way. In response, she said:

“It was a lot because I always felt like in Switzerland, people are, for tennis, they're very spoiled. So like, if you don't win the Grand Slam, like, did you even play, you know? So obviously it's very nice, but like so many great tennis players, like Martina Hingis, Roger Federer, Petit Schneider, Stan Wawrinka, yeah, just one after another, you know, in such a small country.”

She opened up about the peer pressure of coming from a country known for its tennis legends. However, she felt honored to be mentioned alongside those Swiss greats.

“And then when you are next, it's kind of like, yeah, but you know, like she didn't win anything yet, you know? But in a way I felt very honored to be like mentioned in this group of people. And like, I always feel like when people put pressure on you, you gave them a reason to do that, which is I think a very big compliment, I would say, because if people wouldn't expect things from you, it wouldn't mean that you are good or becoming good or something.”

Bencic spoke about both the positives and negatives of being under pressure and how it affected her mentality at a young age. She said:

“I was very excited to be there and everything was very new. So in the start, I didn't feel the pressure at all, but then when I was like 18, 19, and I had to confirm some of the good years I had before, then I felt it a little bit. And also a little bit to be like in the public and everything can say anything about you and judging you and everything. I don't think an 18, 19 year old quite understands or can put the pressure aside. So yeah, it was in a good way and in a bad way, I would say.”

Belinda Bencic expected to play in Miami Open after early Dubai exit

Belinda Bencic at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships - Day Two - Source: Getty

Belinda Bencic is gearing up for the 2025 Miami Open after an early exit from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Doha. The Swiss star kicked off her campaign with a solid first-round victory over Japan’s Aoi Ito but fell in the second round after a tough three-set battle against American Emma Navarro.

She is expected to compete in the WTA 1000 tournament in Miami, as her name was missing from the Indian Wells Masters entry list. The outdoor hard-court event will take place from March 16 to March 30.

In 2022, Bencic had an impressive run at the Miami Open, making it all the way to the semifinals before bowing out to Naomi Osaka. However, she couldn't replicate that success in 2023, falling in the second round to Ekaterina Alexandrova.