Gauff Triumphs in Three-Set Battle Against Bencic Just Before Curfew
Coco Gauff kept her hopes alive for a first Wimbledon title with a hard-fought victory over Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in a match that started late and ended just before the 11pm curfew. The American, who began play at 8:40pm—the latest start in Wimbledon history—lost the first set but rallied to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, finishing two minutes before the curfew.
Despite struggling with nine double faults, including five in a single game during the first set, Gauff displayed impressive ball-striking and composure to secure the win. The No. 7 seed reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the first time and will face fellow American Jessica Pegula for a spot in the semi-finals.
“Super happy to be in the quarters finally,” said Gauff, who pointed at her wrist after delivering an unreturnable serve on match point at 10:58pm. “I was looking at the clock the last service game. Honestly that match point I was going for serve and volley to finish it. This was probably my most dramatic match. I’m not used to racing against time.
“It’s a great accomplishment for me, first time in the quarters. Made the fourth round on my first time here. I just knew I had to hone in on the tennis I’ve been playing. Even if it was a tough match, I feel like this was my best match so far in the tournament.”
Late Start and Intense Competition
The match commenced under a closed roof at 8:39pm, with the official start time recorded as 8:40pm when the first point concluded. This scheduling allowed Gauff and Bencic, both top competitors on the women’s tour, two hours and twenty minutes to complete their encounter.
Gauff, who had won their previous three meetings, began strongly, quickly taking a 3-0 lead despite facing break points in her first two service games. One of those games included five double faults. Early precision shots from Gauff frustrated Bencic, who faced the prospect of falling behind 0-4.
However, Bencic, an Olympic champion and last year’s semi-finalist, regained composure, holding serve and breaking back after another Gauff double fault. The players held serve until 4-4, when Bencic broke again. Although Gauff saved two set points, including one with a remarkable drop shot, the Swiss player closed out the set.
Gauff’s Resilience and Tactical Adjustments
After a bathroom break before the second set, Gauff appeared revitalized, breaking serve to lead 3-1. Bencic responded by breaking back, but Gauff regained the advantage and maintained it to level the match.
The deciding set saw an escalation in quality. Gauff broke early to lead 2-0 and saved a break point at 2-1 with an exceptional point. Bencic broke back, but Gauff responded with a deft drop shot to break again.
Bencic continued to apply pressure with aggressive baseline play and survived a challenging service game to remain close at 3-4. Both players then held serve, bringing the score to 5-4 in Gauff’s favor. At this point, tournament referee Denise Parnell signaled that only one more game could be played due to the curfew. Motivated by this, Gauff served out the match confidently.
Other Quarter-Finalists and Upcoming Matches
Jessica Pegula reached her first Wimbledon quarter-final by defeating fellow American Iva Jovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-1. Meanwhile, Czech player Karolina Muchova advanced to the last eight for the third time after a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 victory over former champion Barbora Krejcikova. Muchova will face Naomi Osaka in the next round.
