Swiss beats Caty McNally to match career-best performance on Paris clay
Belinda Bencic is playing her first Roland-Garros since becoming a mother to daughter Bella in April of 2024. This year's Parisian Slam may prove to be her best yet.
The former world No.4 eased past American Caty McNally 6-4, 6-0 on Wednesday on Court Simonne-Mathieu, earning a third career trip to the round of 32, and first since 2022.
The 29-year-old, a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist who is making her eighth appearance in Porte d’Auteiul, has never surpassed the third round in Paris before.
Tucked in a favourable section of the lower half of the women’s draw, No. 11-seed Bencic will face Peyton Stearns in the third round.
Asked if cracking a round of 16 milestone was on her mind, Bencic said, "I'm motivated every day. Doesn't matter if I have an opportunity or not.
"Of course it's my aim to do my best result right now. I also had a lot of years where I was injured or not in my best form coming here into Paris, so I'm really happy that this year everything is fine."
How does Bencic feel about the summery weather this week in Paris?
"For me, it's perfect," she said. "I love this right now. Because it's hot, the ball is flying more. I also like the heat. I don't like to play when it's cold and wet and windy... I feel for me it's very good when it's this hot."
Bencic certainly made the fast conditions work in her favour on Wednesday.
From 4-4 in the opening set, the Swiss turned up the heat on the 63rd-ranked American and rolled through a cluster of games in haste. Bencic was cooled off only by the ice towel that she regularly placed around her neck during changeovers.
The former Olympic gold medallist reeled off the final eight games of the match, finishing off her ninth career Roland-Garros win in style.
"I thought in the start it was a bit more tricky to get into the rhythm," she said. "I was experienced enough and maybe more smart today to win [without] playing perfect tennis."
Bencic won 14 of 17 points at net and claimed 39 of 58 of the rallies that lasted four or fewer strokes.
Bencic has travelled to Paris with Bella, who just turned two, for the first time. Bella stepped on Chatrier prior to the tournament, looking like a star in the making as she waddled around the court with a racquet in her hands.
"We're just living beautiful moments," Bencic said. "It's a really funny time. Of course it's sometimes difficult to travel with her but I'm very grateful that we are able to do it - to enjoy beautiful moments in Paris with her, and she's super happy to be here."
Bencic improved to 7-3 on clay in 2026 with today's win, and is in the midst of her best season on the surface since she won her lone clay title in 2022. She believes that her movement is the key ingredient in her rise.
"I definitely feel like I'm the most comfortable with my movement this year somehow," she said. "I always worked on it a lot, but I feel like this year it's maybe clicked a little bit more in a way that I feel comfortable moving and I'm not thinking about it so much.
"Of course on clay I feel like I have to do the most adjustments. For example, on grass, I just go to the court and I play like I would play in my dream – I don't have to adjust anything. It's just going.
"Then on clay, you have to change some things a little bit because of course the surface is different, the movement is a little bit different."
ROLAND-GARROS
18 May - 7 June 2026
