Coco Gauff secured a decisive 6-4, 6-2 victory against Belinda Bencic at the WTA Madrid Open on Monday, advancing to her first quarterfinal at the tournament. The 20-year-old American showcased her resilience against the Tokyo Olympics champion, overcoming a mid-set rally from Bencic to dominate both sets.
Gauff broke early in the first set but faced a brief resurgence from Bencic, who leveled at 4-4. The US Open champion regained momentum, closing the opener with precise forehand shots. In the second set, Gauff capitalized on Bencic's errors, securing a decisive break in the tenth game and sealing the match with a backhand winner.
Post-match, an unexpected power outage across Spain disrupted Gauff's interview. "I had avocado toast and fruit… Maybe I just need to like not get a lot of sleep," she quipped before losing power. The outage halted remaining matches, with only three completed on the day.
Gauff will next face Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva, who continues her breakout season.
