Belinda Bencic defeated world number five Elena Rybakina 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Friday at the Abu Dhabi Open to go to her first tour-level final after coming back from maternity leave.
The former Olympic champion from Switzerland returned from a 13-month hiatus from the tour six months after giving birth to her first child, Bella, in April 2024.
Rybakina got into her rhythm after a calm start, but she had to defend four break points as she gained a big lead. She eventually claimed the lead after converting her third set-point attempt.
She was unable to maintain that level, though, as demonstrated in her quarterfinal matchup with Ons Jabeur on Thursday.
Bencic put in a lot of effort right away, quickly taking a 3-0 lead. Rybakina was unable to overcome her powerful serve, and after just forty minutes, she compelled a decider.
In the third set, Rybakina’s serve was broken twice in a row early on as the two traded punches.
Bencic missed both of her match points despite having the opportunity to serve for the win. On her second try, however, she made no mistakes, giving herself the opportunity to earn a second title in Abu Dhabi after winning in 2023.
She will face Ashlyn Krueger, who defeated Linda Noskova 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 in straight sets earlier on Friday to get to her first-ever WTA-500 final.
Belinda Bencic defeated the world No. 5 to remain undefeated in Abu Dhabi (8-0), her fifth tournament since becoming a mother. As she pursues her first championship since the 2023 Charleston Open, this is her first top-10 victory since early 2023.
