WATCH: Coco Gauff accused of ‘mind games’ by China Open rival: ‘No one is talking to you’

Ewan West
Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic
Coco Gauff with Belinda Bencic inset

Coco Gauff’s title defence at the 2025 China Open remains on track after she overcame Belinda Bencic to reach the quarter-finals, and the pair were involved in a tense exchange.

The world No 3 prevailed 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2 against 16th-ranked Bencic after two hours and 31 minutes in the fourth round of the WTA 1000 tournament.

Gauff led 4-1 in the opening set before Bencic won five straight games to turn it around, and the 28-year-old Swiss looked to be closing in on victory when she broke to take a 4-3 lead in the second set.

The American broke Bencic back in the next game, though, and won the second set on a tiebreak as she reeled off the last four points. In the deciding set, Gauff broke Bencic twice as she sealed a comeback win.

During Bencic’s service game at 2-3 in the second set, she expressed her frustration with a fan cheering as she prepared to serve after Gauff had won a point.

Gauff said, “There’s nobody in the stadium. It’s been so respectful”, to which Bencic replied, “They can cheer after the point.”

After she took a 4-3 lead, Bencic continued her complaints to the umpire during the changeover: “When the point is over, it’s no problem, I don’t care. But when I’m going to the line ready to serve, they don’t need to cheer.”

Gauff then said something to Bencic which could not be heard on the broadcast, which sparked a reaction from a visibly annoyed Bencic.

“No one’s talking to you! She’s talking to me, okay! I haven’t started [it]. Your team is chatting… I’m too old for these mind games okay!”

In her press conference, Gauff was asked about her exchange with Bencic.

“Yeah, I mean, I knew she said something to my team, but I didn’t know exactly what,” the two-time Grand Slam winner said.

WTA Tour News

How has Coco Gauff’s serve performed at the China Open – and is it a concern?

WTA Rankings: How close can Iga Swiatek get to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka at China Open?

“They told me she said, ‘Shut up’. I didn’t hear it, so I can only go based off of what they said. I mean, I guess she was upset about them cheering.

“For me, the stadium is silent, so you hear both teams. I played previous rounds, both my matches I could hear the other teams pretty loud and clear, because it is silent. It doesn’t bother me.

“I was telling her to be respectful. I’ve been nice with her team off court. We’ve been nice with each other. I just didn’t like that comment towards my team.

“Yeah, that was it. I mean, we moved on after that. I haven’t spoken to her since. She’s entitled to how she felt and I’m entitled to how I respond.”

The 21-year-old added: “Yeah, I mean, immediately after that, next game I was frustrated, threw three doubles. But after that I was just like, ‘Okay, I don’t want to lose anymore after this point’.

“I was able to just buckle down. I think it was almost good for me in a way. I think I can play sometimes a little bit better when I’m annoyed, more so not with myself but with something else.

“I don’t know, I think it did help me. But I’m not a confrontational person. I don’t like having confrontation on the court. I definitely don’t like that. I mean, it happens. It’s sport. Yeah, I’m happy that today went my way.”

Gauff will face world No 66 Eva Lys in the last eight in Beijing.

READ NEXT: Iga Swiatek asserts it is ‘smart to not care’ about controversial WTA Tour rules

Related Articles