Belinda Bencic is Switzerland’s trump card against the Czech Republic
Keystone
On Friday and Saturday, Switzerland will battle the Czech Republic in Biel for a place in the final tournament of the Billie Jean King Cup. Hopes are pinned above all on Belinda Bencic.
It’s a nice return for Belinda Bencic. The last time the 2021 Olympic champion competed in the Billie Jean King Cup was a year and a half ago – on her return to the big stage and with her just seven-month-old daughter Bella as her companion. Back then, Bencic won both singles matches against Serbia in Biel and the doubles alongside Jil Teichmann.
On Friday and Saturday, however, the task against the Czech Republic will be much more difficult. The world number 11 Bencic is the big Swiss trump card to qualify for the finals in Shenzhen. In addition to the host nation China, the seven winners of this weekend’s qualifiers will also take part in November.
Bencic delighted to return to the team
Last year, the Billie Jean King Cup did not fit into Bencic’s program and she was absent from both Poland and Argentina. With a heavy heart, as she says. “I was very sad not to have been there the last two times and am now all the more pleased to be able to play for Switzerland again,” explained the 29-year-old from eastern Switzerland this week, beaming all over her face. The Swiss women have long been characterized by their strong team spirit, which led to their triumph in Glasgow 2022 in the most important team competition formerly known as the Fed Cup – also thanks to a semi-final victory over the Czech Republic.
Viktorija Golubic (WTA 79) also has fond memories of the tennis superpower. In her last home match against the Czech Republic in 2016 in the semi-finals in Lucerne, the then 23-year-old from Zurich shone for the first time on the big stage with three-set victories over Karolina Pliskova and Barbora Strycova, even though Switzerland ultimately lost 2:3. The latter is now captain of the Czech women.
As usual, the seven-time champions have a strong team, even if number 1 Karolina Muchova is missing this time. Led by 21-year-old Linda Noskova (WTA 14), Strycova can also count on Marie Bouzkova (WTA 24) and left-hander Marketa Vondrousova (WTA 45), the 2023 Wimbledon champion who lost to Bencic in the Olympic final.
Bencic and Golubic on the first day
The two captains have nominated their number 1 and 2 seeds for the first two singles matches on Friday. Bencic will first face Bouzkova from 1 p.m., followed by Golubic against Noskova. The decision will be made on Saturday with first the doubles and then the two further singles matches.
Rebeka Masarova (WTA 123), who has been called up for the first time by captain Heinz Günthardt, will not (yet) make her debut for Switzerland. The junior winner of the 2016 French Open was born in Basel, but moved to Spain two years later. She also played for her mother’s home country in the Billie Jean King Cup. However, she has been competing under the Swiss flag again since 2025.
Masarova has initially been nominated for the doubles together with Céline Naef. However, the line-ups for the matches on the second day are subject to change without notice.