After a strong 2015 season in which Belinda Bencic won two WTA titles and got her biggest win of her career against the world number one Serena Williams, all eyes were on the 18-year-old at the start of this season.
IPTL Participation Was Not Just For Fun
This year, Bencic took part in the IPTL for the very first time. She was part of the Singapore Slammers team alongside other big names, such as Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray and her close friend Karolina Pliskova. The team had great chemistry and a lot of fun. Despite this, the world number 14 told the WTA Insider that it wasn't all just fun and games, saying that "others maybe treated it like fun, but I took the matches seriously." The fact the 18-year-old took the matches as seriously as she did is probably the reason why she won the award for the Most Valuable Player on her team, after putting together a number of stunning performances in each of the matches she played.
During her stint in the IPTL, Bencic also admitted that she trained hard in preparation for the new season.
Bencic Unhappy With Her Current Level
With three wins and one loss so far, Bencic has got her season off to a decent start, however the 18-year-old feels like she is not quite at her best.
The world number 14 started the season off strongly with a straight sets victory in Brisbane. However, in the second round she lost to Samantha Crawford who is ranked 142 in the world. In her first match in Sydney, the Swiss overcame a tough battle, to win in three sets, but it was clear that she was no where near her best.
Her second round match produced a stronger performance, but the world number 14 made it clear after the match that she was not happy with the level she is currently playing at.
Talking with WTA Insider after her second round match, Bencic said that she was unhappy about the level she is currently playing at, which is no surprise after her recent performances. Despite not being happy with her level, the Swiss player says that she is "relieved" that her 2016 season has got off to a better start than that of 2015, where her first win did not come until the tournament in Dubai.