Coco Gauff beats Bencic Just before Wimbledon Curfew
Coco Gauff finally broke through at Wimbledon today, defeating Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the first time in her career.
With only a couple of minutes remaining before Wimbledon’s nightly curfew, Gauff knew she had to finish the match quickly or return the following day.
After sealing victory, she admitted the clock was very much on her mind.
“I was looking at the clock the last service game. I was like, ‘I gotta hit some big serves and big shots.”
Gauff even revealed she changed her tactics on match point because she wanted to avoid the match being suspended overnight.
“Honestly, that match point I was going for a serve and volley because I was like, ‘I need to end the point.”
The 22-year-old described it as one of the most unusual finishes of her career.
“This was probably the most dramatic finish. I’ve never had to race against time. Playing tennis we’re used to not having a clock.”
The victory sends Gauff into her first Wimbledon quarter-final, meaning she has now reached the last eight or better at all four Grand Slam tournaments.
It also marked her 30th win of the 2026 season and her third consecutive victory in a deciding set.
