Super mums! Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic make history as they become first mothers in top 10 at same time
WTAMonday, 02 February 2026 at 15:00
Elina Svitolina and Belinda Bencic have both been through large periods out of the sport as they focused on becoming mothers for the first time, prioritising starting a family over their lavish tennis career. Now, they are both flying on the court as they dazzle Down Under to kick off the 2026 campaign. Their performances at the start of 2026 have seen them both finish inside the top 10, the first mothers to be ranked inside the WTA top 10 at the same time.
This incredible achievement shows not just the skillset and talent the pair of them have on the court, but the determination to comeback from the demanding lifestyle of becoming a mother and raising a baby to get back to winning ways on the court. Their stories are truly inspirational, and they are reaping the full rewards from it as they continue to look upwards through the rankings.
Their journey back to the top was aided by the WTA who have introduced several first-of-its-kind maternity initiatives in recent seasons to help these players get back up to speed while not having to make the choice between family or tennis career, able to step away for some time before making a return with a protective rankings.
Two mothers in top 10 for first time
Ahead of the 2025 Australian Open, Bencic started as the world number 421. She came back with a bang, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open before remarkably winning the Abu Dhabi Open. It was an incredible triumph, and a sign of things to come. The two-time WTA 1000 champion also reached a Wimbledon semi-final before taking home the Pan Pacific Open title at the end of the year, leaving her on the brink of making a return to the top 10.
She would complete this with a stunning campaign at the United Cup. There is something about Bencic representing Switzerland and finding her best game, with it once more being showcased on the biggest stage. Despite never making it out of the group phase in their prior attempts, she led her country to an incredible final. The 28-year-old won all her singles and doubles matches enroute to the final, defeating the likes of Jasmine Paolini, and Iga Swiatek in the final singles match. However, defeat in the doubles gifted Poland the title but a nice consolation for Bencic was that the points earned was enough to boost her up into the top 10.
She was unable to make too much of an impact at Melbourne Park, surprisingly going out in the second round to Nikola Bartunkova in three sets. This means that while she did finish the event in the top 10, she could soon drop out of it if she is unable to collect enough ranking points in the ongoing Abu Dhabi Open.
"Coming back to the WTA Top 10 one year after returning to competition after maternity leave is something I am incredibly proud of," Bencic told the WTA. "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."
This jump into the top 10 was soon overshadowed by the heroics of Svitolina, who really caught the eye with some incredible tennis. The Ukrainian gave birth to Skaï in 2022, returning to the tour in 2023. A number of deep runs in major events along with a few titles kept her here or there abouts, but the unbeaten start to 2026 really saw her move up the order.
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She started with a very solid ASB Classic title, defeating Iva Jovic in the final to win the event in Auckland for the second time. She then went on a deep run in the Australian Open making it all the way to the semi-finals. After she thrashed Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals, her place in the top 10 alongside Bencic was confirmed. She would lose to the world number one in the last-four but that has taken nothing away from her eye-catching start to the season.
"It's a dream to return to the WTA Top 10," Svitolina commented. "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."
This achievement has not gone unnoticed, with the WTA CEO Portia Archer sending her congrats. "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," she stated. "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."
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