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‘Biggest thing ever for an athlete’ – Belinda Bencic on her Olympic triumph


Belinda Bencic said she achieved something she did not think would be possible by winning the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Swiss described the Games as “the biggest thing ever for an athlete” and expressed her disbelief at claiming two Olympic medals.

The world number 12 defeated Marketa Vondrousova 7-5, 2-6, 6-3 in the women’s singles gold medal match to become the first Swiss woman to win gold in tennis.

Bencic is also guaranteed to win a medal in women’s doubles – and will compete for gold alongside countrywoman Viktorija Golubic tomorrow.

“I mean, you know, I will try [to win gold] again [in doubles]. I will play like it’s my last match of my career. You know, this tournament, it’s … for me, it’s not ‘this tournament’, it’s the freaking Olympic Games,” Bencic said in an on-court interview.

“For me, this is the biggest thing ever for an athlete, so I cannot believe I have two medals and one of them is gold, and one of them is to be decided. I mean, I don’t know what to say. I mean, it’s amazing.

“I cannot really believe it right now. I just don’t get it yet. I don’t know whether to laugh or to cry. I didn’t think it would be possible. I was fighting for my life, and it worked out. I cannot believe it worked out.”

Photo credit: Kopatsch/Sato/Sidorjak


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Tim Farthing, Tennishead Editorial Director & Owner, has been a huge tennis fan his whole life. He's a tennis journalist and entrepreneur as well as playing tennis to a national standard. He also helps manage his local club and volunteers for his local tennis organisation. He's a specialist in content about the administration of professional tennis and tennis coaching for all levels.