In a full-circle moment she never would have imagined, Belinda Bencic was crowned champion of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open on Saturday, two years after she won that very same title -- but this time, she posed for the cameras kissing her daughter, Bella, and not the trophy. 

It was Bencic’s first title since her return from maternity leave four months ago, and the Swiss Olympic gold medalist was understandably emotional during the trophy ceremony, as she looked over at her husband and fitness trainer Martin Hromkovic and 10-month-old daughter. 

“It's tough to describe into words,” Bencic said after the final. “I think only us know what we went through as a family.

“We are so appreciative and blessed to have Bella in our lives. And then also to be able to still do what I want to do. And then also, like, having the good results on top of that. So the emotions were about feeling incredibly grateful, blessed. And just a mini dream come true.”

It was a big week for Bencic at Zayed Sports City, where she knocked out two Grand Slam champions in Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina along the way to the final before battling through tricky windy conditions to overcome 20-year-old big-hitter Ashlyn Krueger in a three-set title decider. 

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Off the court, Bencic cut a relaxed figure throughout the week. The morning of her semifinal match with World No. 5 Rybakina, she took Bella to the aquarium for a fun family excursion. Ahead of the final on Saturday, she was warming up on the outdoor stationary bikes with Bella playing on the floor right in front of her. It was big smiles all around. 

“It's just like a regular day as a parent,” Bencic told wtatennis.com. “We’re trying to do a nice program for Bella, so she can learn something in the day and just taking care of her. We took a walk and we went to the aquarium. She loved it so much and it was just a nice moment, but it had nothing to do with preparing for my match. It's a little bit different now.”

In this chapter of her career, Bencic has high targets -- which she prefers not to publicize -- but is also armed with a fresh perspective that’s allowing her to play with less pressure on her shoulders compared to the past. 

“I have high expectations of myself and I have dreams and goals,” Bencic said. “But I have to say I basically won in life. I’m here in tournaments and it feels much more relaxed.

“It feels like I can play a little bit more clear and with less pressure on myself. I feel like I was always the one standing a little bit in the way of trying to do too well. So right now, I’m really working and I still feel like I can reach more things. But even if not then ...”

Her voice trails, but the message is clear. Win or lose, Bencic could not be happier doing what she is doing with her family in her corner. 

Bencic’s coach, Iain Hughes, who has reunited with the Swiss after working with her back in 2017, says playing with less pressure has been a priority for them as a team since her return to action.

Hughes says that on court, he’s seeing “a similar Belinda to the one I left,” and that she’s still the “unconditional competitor” he always knew. 

“But off court, so, so different,” he said. “An amazing mum, and with Martin, amazing dad, they’re just such a strong family that the tennis part is almost a dream job. And it's just got better and better every day, she's improved with every match.”

One of Bencic’s main concerns at the start of her comeback was whether she would be able to keep up with the tempo of today’s game, and how fast her rivals are playing. 

She has surprised herself in that regard, with Abu Dhabi easing her worries given her victories over fast-hitters like Rybakina and Krueger. 

“It gives you a lot of confidence,” she said. “Obviously, on TV it's always different. You don't really see so much the spin or the heaviness of the ball. I feel like also on TV it feels a little bit faster than in real life. And it has also something to do with how I move obviously and with my physical preparation."

For Hughes, handling that pace was one of the biggest takeaways from the week in Abu Dhabi. For Bencic, it was her ability to notch victories even when she wasn’t at her best. 

Three of her five matches went the distance, and she had to climb back from a set down in the semis and final. 

Reading the game well and having a high tennis IQ has been one of Bencic’s biggest strengths, and it’s something that has gotten even better thanks to the hours of tennis she watched on television during her pregnancy. 

“It was nice to see the game in a more neutral way,” she said. 

“I was able to kind of rationally see the tennis a little bit from a different side, more like a spectator and more like seeing the game. I was always so into it, like, ‘Oh my God, this player is going to beat this player and pass me in the ranking.’ I was always emotionally involved.”

Looking ahead, Bencic will not be competing at the WTA 1000 in Doha and will instead stay in the UAE and prepare for her next tournament, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which begin on Feb. 16.

The UAE has been good to Bencic over the years. Besides her two titles in Abu Dhabi, she also won a Dubai challenger back in 2017 and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in 2019.

Her agenda for the next couple of days includes a visit to Abu Dhabi’s Grand Mosque before getting back on the practice court in Dubai ahead of the tournament. 

“We're staying in the UAE, my favorite country,” Bencic said.

Who can blame her?