Belinda Bencic didn’t need a reminder of how much life had changed in the past year, but she got one anyway. Just hours after the WTA announced a groundbreaking maternity fund -- the first of its kind in women’s sports -- she stepped onto the court for her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open and rolled past fellow mother Tatjana Maria, 6-1, 6-1.

The win itself Thursday was decisive, but the moment carried more weight. Less than a year ago, Bencic was adjusting to sleepless nights and life away from the sport after welcoming her daughter, Bella, in April 2023.

Now, she’s showing how quickly a return to the top is possible. Bencic, ranked No. 58, has already picked up a title since returning, winning Abu Dhabi in February. She’s 14-4 this season, a start even she didn’t see coming.

“Yeah, a little bit, for sure,” she said in press when asked if she was surprised by her early success. “I definitely didn’t anticipate the comeback being so successful and so early. But of course I’m going to take it.”

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Bencic took a measured approach to her return, starting with smaller tournaments late last season to get a feel for her game and the demands of the tour again.

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“I feel like it helped me a lot to play some lower events last year,” she said. “Just to start to play a little bit, see where my level is. Also figure out everything -- logistics, how I feel on the court. That gave us a little bit of a direction of what we can work on more before Australia. Then obviously, very happy with the results right now.”

The WTA’s maternity initiative is designed to make that path more accessible for others. Backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and championed by the WTA Players’ Council, the program offers up to 12 months of paid maternity leave, a financial safety net players before her never had.

“It’s absolutely giving players the chance to not have to make such a hard decision,” Bencic said. “Especially for lower-ranked players, it’s important for them to have a guaranteed income so they don’t have to stress about things when they’re out for a year and a half. Tennis is the first sport to do this for female athletes, so I hope it paves the way for other sports as well.”

Maria understands that struggle better than most. At 37, she’s spent years managing the tour grind with two kids in tow. Bencic said their conversations aren’t so much about strategy as they are about life, small reassurances from one mother to another.

“She was just telling me to be super relaxed about it and very spontaneous,” Bencic said. “And I feel like your kids are the same way. So you’re obviously a real mother.”

Maria had to figure it out largely on her own. Bencic is forging her own path, too. But now, for the next wave of players, the choice to have a family won’t come with the same level of risk. That may be the biggest win of all.