17.06.2025 Benchich about motherhood: earlier matches were for me a question of life and death, but now it is not

Belinda Benchich spoke about returning to tennis after the birth of her daughter. Bella was born in April 2024, and in October Benchich held the first tournament. In February, she won the thousandth in Abu Dhabi.
When I just started to return, the majority said: yes it is definitely impossible. It always seems to me that people are changing their opinion very quickly. Funny, I`m like this: well, now you believe in me?
This is a classic. Many said: why right now, in the middle of the career? It is impossible to return to the previous level. But now they say: she will probably be able to win a large helmet. I am: your opinion has changed in one week! (Laughs. )
Benchich explained how motherhood influenced her attitude to tennis on the example of defeat from Jasmine Paolini on United Cup.
This is so strange. Before the appearance of Bella, I would sit broken, thought about the match, about what had to be done differently. But I just left the court, and the next day we went to the beach of Bondi Beach and had a great time. It was an amazing day. And then I returned to training.
Previously, matches were for me a matter of life and death. I believed that I should do everything for victory, and the defeat was simply destroyed. It was my whole life, and now it was not so.
This does not mean that I am not worried about tennis: I just learned to share work and personal life.
I was very emotional. I have never shown disrespect for anyone - it always concerned me myself. Sometimes I lost control of emotions and went into a corkscrew. When I was angry, it helped me win matches. But I am not proud of some moments, and it is very difficult for me to review them.
And now I don’t throw a racket, because I do not want Bella to see it. Just madness, but it doesn’t even occur to me to do that.
She also replied that she motivated her to return.
I was ready for the fact that I may take my daughter in my arms and I understand that I no longer want to play. I was ready for this, but this did not happen. I was sure that it was possible to return, and I was glad to do it.
I also do not want to let the work that I did in the wind since childhood. I want to extract the maximum from my career and make sure that one and the other is possible.
I will not say that I want to prove something to myself. I just want to do everything in my power, but in the first place for me Bella. If necessary, I will gladly finish playing tennis and become a mother at full rate. But I believe that one and the other is possible now.