Belinda Bencic. (Pic Credit – X)
The 27-year-old Swiss, an Olympic gold medallist in the singles, ranked in the game’s top-five some five years ago, gave birth to daughter Bella in April last year. Osaka, whose daughter Shai will be two in July, hit through the court, and took a 5-3 lead, but threw in the towel at the end of the first set which she lost in the tie-break. The world No 51 picked up the abdominal injury during her run into the final in Auckland, ahead of the Australian Open. Bencic, who led the head-to-head 3-2, coming into Friday’s third-round clash, was asked about the message in her post match press conference. Bencic pointed at the former No.1.
Because i actually haven’t seen her,’ she said, ‘I haven’t caught up with her.
“I respect Naomi’s decision, but media is part of the job and it contributes to a worldwide publicity we have and we get paid very well,” she said. On a windy Friday evening at Melbourne Park, when the air current played havoc with the ball toss, whipped up skirts and sent balls stray, Bencic, looking like she might’ve never really left the game, reached the Australian Open fourth-round in only her sixth tournament back after giving birth to daughter Bella eight months ago. Was she addressing her own mother or Osaka? “Naomi does a lot of good things. On the other hand, I feel like sometimes it’s just about to remain in the talk.”
Earlier, ahead of their clash, when Osaka was asked if she had been in touch with the Olympic gold medallist, she produced a classic verbal shrug.
Bencic and her 42-year-old boyfriend Martin Hromkovic , a Slovak footballer, who is now her strength and conditioning coach, have proven to be a team.
I’m just happy with every match I get to play,” she said. “It’s not really about winning right now, it’s about improving myself and getting back there to be able to play the biggest tournaments again and be up there ranking-wise.” “Really happy with how the comeback is going.