I have Bencic in Australia | | December 25, 2024
The new tennis season kicks off on New Year’s Eve with the United Cup in Sydney and Perth. For many Swiss, it will be a year of change – including Dominic Stricker from Münsingen, who continues to make a comeback.
He wants to advance to the top of the tennis world in 2025: This week he will start his new season with a double with Bencic and Co.Photos: Denise Jacob
Switzerland is back in the third edition of the United Cup for mixed teams after a turbulent year – thanks to the return of Belinda Bencic. Many eyes will be on him in the coming year – but not only on him.
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After the leanest year in decades without a Swiss man or woman in the 16th Grand Slam tournament, many have changed. Although Wawrinka (ATP 161), who is almost 40 years old, has tried to score a few more major points, Stricker (ATP 300) is close to resuming his career.
After his previous problems, which kept him down for six months (Platform J was reported), the main winner of the 2020 French Open was slow to accelerate. But with the quarter-final in Stockholm and the round of 16 in Basel he showed his great potential. Now he needs to prove results soon to get back into the top 100 before his protected status expires. At least they don’t have any defensive points for now.
Two promise to return
Stricker and Bencic make up the pair who are preparing for the United Cup. Switzerland will face France (December 28th) and Italy (December 29th) in Group D in Sydney. Céline Naef, Conny Perrin, Rémy Bertola and Jakub Paul are also in the Swiss squad as substitutes. Group winners and runners-up qualify for the quarter-finals on 2/3. January.
Thanks to Viktorija Golubic (WTA 90), the year does not end without the presence of the Swiss in the 100. The 32-year-old from Zurich combined ten victories and won the tournament in Jiujiang (WTA 250) and Limoges (Challenger) . But the rise came too late; He was immediately criticized because a year ago he reached the third round in Melbourne for the first time.
The next generation of Swiss is jumping into the top 100
Among the men, there are some young talents waiting to enter the 100 for the first time, who, like Stricker, have recently been repeatedly reduced by injuries. Leandro Riedi (ATP 135) was on the verge of doing so before ending his season at the end of August due to knee surgery.
Jérôme Kym (ATP 134) had to endure this in 2023 before showing great impact last year. The pair of Zurichers Alexander Ritschard (30/ATP 118) and Marc-Andrea Hüsler (28/ATP 159) are already among the most experienced. They were already in the top 100 and want to get back there.
19-year-old Céline Naef (WTA 153) also wants to build on a good autumn, while Jil Teichmann (WTA 135) has found her feet again after a difficult month. In addition, the Swiss team in the WTA rankings received an unexpected boost. At the beginning of 2018, Rebeka Masarova (WTA 145) turned to Switzerland – much to the dismay of Swiss Tennis – and joined the Spanish team. Now the 25-year-old from Basel with a Spanish mother and Slovakian father is once again playing under the Swiss flag. It remains to be seen if it will be a problem at the Billie Jean King Cup.