In 2019, the WTA revamped its special ranking rule, allowing players returning from pregnancy to use it for three years from the date of childbirth – though they can’t be seeded. That facilitated Belinda Bencic’s entry to the AO with a special ranking of No.15 after returning from maternity leave.
The Swiss 27-year-old, who gave birth last April, is in rarefied company as she chases a place in what would be her maiden AO quarterfinal.
The world No.294 – whose comeback has exceeded her own expectations – is aiming to replicate the feat of her countrywoman Martina Hingis, who reached the AO 2006 quarterfinals ranked 349, albeit as a wildcard returning from injury, and Justine Henin, who advanced to the AO 2010 final as a wildcard, unranked at the time.
If Bencic upsets Coco Gauff on Sunday and conquers her next three opponents to lay claim to the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup next weekend, she’ll be the lowest-ranked women’s singles player to win an AO title.
On the men’s side, Australian Mark Edmondson holds bragging rights as the lowest-ranked Grand Slam champion thanks to his AO 1976 triumph ranked 212th.
As she aims to enter new territory in Melbourne, Bencic can also take inspiration from Serena Williams’ progress at three of the Grand Slams that the American entered with a protected ranking: at the 2011 US Open, Williams reached the final and in 2018 she reached the fourth round of Roland Garros and the Wimbledon final.
Lastly, qualifier Lerner Tien is hunting down another record.
-The world No.121, with six wins under his belt at Melbourne Park, is on a well-trodden path: as qualifiers, Bob Giltinan and Aslan Karatsev made it all the way to the AO semifinals in 1977 and 2021, respectively.
But even if he doesn’t match or surpass Giltinan and Karatsev, and falls short of replicating the heroic run by then 18-year-old qualifier Emma Raducanu to the women’s singles US Open title in 2021, 19-year-old Tien can take comfort in the fact that he’s already hit a milestone.
The Californian is the youngest man to reach the AO fourth round since Rafael Nadal in 2005 and by backing up his five-set marathon win over fifth seed and AO 2024 finalist Daniil Medvedev in the second round with a straight-sets romp past Corentin Moutet on Saturday, is the youngest American men’s singles player to reach the last 16 at a major since Andy Roddick’s 2001 US Open run.
“This exceeded my expectations, what I was hoping for coming into this week,” he beamed.
“To be in the second week is amazing.”
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