Bencic, Svitolina make history as first moms in Top 10 at same time

ST PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Belinda Bencic and Elina Svitolina have made history by becoming the first mothers to be ranked inside the WTA Tour Top 10 at the same time.

Switzerland's Bencic returned to the Top 10 in mid-January for the first time since stepping away from the court in September 2023 to give birth to daughter Bella.

On Monday she was joined by Svitolina -- mom of Skaï -- following the Ukrainian's incredible semifinal run at the Australian Open, creating this landmark moment in WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz history.

To foster a sporting environment where motherhood and elite performance are not seen as competing choices, the WTA has introduced several first-of-its-kind maternity initiatives in recent seasons, and both Bencic and Svitolina have taken advantage of the Special Ranking Rule for returning mothers.

"Coming back to the WTA Top 10 one year after returning to competition after maternity leave is something I am incredibly proud of," Bencic said. "Very few people know or have experienced how difficult that journey is, but my family, my team and I have put all of our energy, work and dedication into it to accomplish this goal.

"They deserve as much credit as anyone, and I am incredibly grateful for their support along the way."

"It's a dream to return to the WTA Top 10," Svitolina added, "and doing it as a mother means so much to me. I'm proud of my fight and resilience, and I can't thank the fans enough for their incredible support." 

"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 CEO Portia Archer. "Not only does this highlight the exceptional achievements of Belinda and Elina, it reaffirms the WTA’s commitment to creating an environment where mothers can continue to compete and succeed, at the very highest level of sport -- or any profession.

"I look forward to watching Belinda and Elina continue to soar both on and off the court."

In other news, Elise Mertens has recaptured the PIF WTA World No. 1 Doubles Ranking following her Australian Open title, which she won with Zhang Shuai. Mertens, who had already spent 39 weeks as the No. 1 doubles player in her career, overtakes Katerina Siniakova, who had held the top spot since September of last year.

Click here to learn about the PIF WTA Maternity Fund.