Belinda Bencic stuns Coco Gauff: Biggest win in years for the new tennis mum!

Belinda Bencic pulled off a stunning victory over local favourite Coco Gauff, winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals. The Swiss claimed her 11th career win over a top-10 player, knocking out one of the tournament's biggest title contenders.

It was one of the matches of the tournament so far — a rollercoaster with both players having chances to clinch the win. In the end, small details swung the match in Bencic’s favour, showcasing remarkable resilience as she fought back in the latter stages.

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First Set

The 20-year-old American took the early lead with a quick break, but Bencic struck back immediately to level at 2-2. Gauff, brimming with confidence, played shots close to the lines and found sharp angles, looking especially assertive with her forehand — a rare sight from the World No. 3.

A decisive break in the sixth game secured Gauff the set 6-3. She was impeccable on serve, landing 64% of her first serves and winning 80% of those points, while Bencic managed a 66% first-serve percentage, winning 62% of them.

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Second Set

Before the second set began, Bencic took a medical timeout to treat minor injuries on her left toes. She quickly held serve and capitalised on early doubts from Gauff’s side, breaking her opponent’s serve soon after. A double fault and a string of unforced forehand errors proved costly for Gauff, who has struggled with her serve throughout the tournament when ahead.

Bencic’s early break put her up 3-0, a lead Gauff could never recover from. The American improved her serving, winning 12 of her next 13 points on serve, but couldn’t create a single break opportunity. Bencic remained solid and sealed the set 6-3.

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Third Set

Bencic called for another medical timeout, once again treating her toes. The tension peaked as both players fought to hold serve. At 4-4, Gauff seemed slightly better positioned for the closing stages, with the crowd growing louder in support of the home favourite. However, the pressure got to Gauff once again — she squandered a 40-0 lead on her serve, eventually conceding a crucial break to Bencic.

The Swiss star kept her composure, calmly serving out the match to clinch a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory, reaching her first WTA 1000 quarter-final since the 2023 Canadian Open. Bencic will face either newly crowned Australian Open champion Madison Keys (5th seed), riding a 14-match winning streak, or Croatian silver medallist from Paris 2024, Donna Vekic (19th seed).

With this run, Bencic has ensured a return to the top 45. Just over two months into the 2025 season, the 28-year-old wasted no time rediscovering her top form, improving her record to 17-4.

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