Belinda Bencic fellow supermoms flying high in Toronto

Swiss star Belinda Bencic with her daughter, Bella, at the Canadian Open 2026 in Toronto.–WTA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–There were a few fascinating numbers in Belinda Bencic’s win over Alex Eala in the Canadian Open round of 16 on Monday in Toronto.

Bencic’s victory snapped Eala’s career-best seven-match winning streak dating back to the Filipino sensation’s title run in Washington last week.

It also marked the 10th time in as many matches that Bencic beat a left-handed player since 2024.

READ: Alex Eala streak snapped by Belinda Bencic in Canadian Open last 16

Many reasons to smile, on and off the court 💜@BelindaBencic makes it three moms into the last eight in Toronto.#NBO26 pic.twitter.com/z64dSLTaas

— wta (@WTA) August 10, 2026

But the most interesting fact after the match was the Swiss star becoming one of three moms to reach the quarterfinal round of the WTA 1000 hard court tournament.

“It’s super special, and I’m really happy for all of the moms that do really well. And obviously, I think we take inspiration from each other,” said Bencic in the post-match interview, after dispatching a weary Eala, 6-4, 6-0, at Sobeys Stadium center court.

The other two mothers through to the last eight are Ukrainian world number nine Elina Svitolina and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, who’s steadily rediscovering her lethal form. Bencic, Svitolina and Osaka are all supermoms to toddler daughters.

“I’m really happy about that, but you know, at the end of the day, we don’t really think about that. We’re still athletes, and we try to do our best,” said the World No. 14 Bencic, whose husband, Martin Hromkovič, also serves as her fitness coach.

“It’s always super nice to create memories with the family on the tour, but on the court, I try to just play tennis.”

Balancing motherhood and tennis, Bencic has made it a point to bring her two-year-old daughter, Bella, with her to every tournament she plays in since returning to competitive tennis in October 2024 after taking maternity leave, and she’s been a good luck charm to her mom.

Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic celebrates with her daughter and the trophy after defeating Ashlyn Krueger of the US during the women’s final singles match at the Abu Dhabi Open tennis tournament on February 8, 2025. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP)

“I choose to bring Bella to every tournament,” the Tokyo Olympics gold medalist said in an interview with tennis journalist Richard Osborn in Charleston last March. “I spend so much time with her. I’m really grateful I have this opportunity, to have people around me that help me to do that, to be able to play and to bring Bella. Literally, I wake up to her every morning, I put her to sleep every night.

“It’s a huge privilege to do that and still be able to kind of continue in my job,” added the 29-year-old Bencic, who was named WTA Comeback Player of the Year in December 2025.

It only took Bencic four months to win her first WTA title since her comeback, capturing the Abu Dhabi Open in February 2025. Five months later, she reached her maiden Wimbledon semifinal, then added a 10th singles crown at the Tokyo Open in October.

READ: Bencic, Svitolina make history as mothers inside tennis top 10

She returned to elite status last January, becoming the first player to enter the WTA top 10 after giving birth since Serena Williams in 2019. A month later, Bencic and Svitolina made history as the first mothers ranked inside the top 10 at the same time.

“Two mothers ranked inside the WTA’s Top 10 rankings for the first time is an incredible moment for tennis and for women’s sport,” said WTA chief executive Portia Archer in a story by AFP last February.

Bencic, who became the tournament’s youngest champion in 2015 at just 18 years old, battles world number four Coco Gauff in the Toronto quarterfinals on Wednesday. On the same day, Osaka clashes with World No. 2 Elena Rybakina for the first time.

Svitolina, meanwhile, takes on Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova, who eliminated top ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the round of 32, on Tuesday.