Coco Gauff has just passed a litmus test by defeating Belinda Bencic in the eighth-finals of Wimbledon 2026 with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 to advance to the quarter-finals. With the elimination of Aryna Sabalenka from this part of the draw, the young American player is emerging as a serious candidate not only to reach the final, but also to win the tournament.
It's worth noting that Bencic reached the semifinals last year. Although Gauff took the lead, Bencic gradually got into the match, leveled the score, and with 5-4 put pressure on Coco to break again and take the first set. However, the American quickly reacted in the second set, preventing the Swiss tennis player from taking the lead and breaking her serve at 3-2 to take the lead and maintain it until equalizing the sets with a 6-3.
The world No. 1, closer for Gauff
As if mirroring the first two sets, Gauff broke again right at the start, but once again Bencic returned the favor, filling the match with tension. However, Coco felt a tad superior, went up 3-2 and with serve to not concede any more break points and secure her first-time advancement to the Wimbledon quarter-finals after being stuck in the round of 16 on 3 occasions.
Gauff, along with Pegula, are the two highest-ranked players still in the Wimbledon. Other names like Sabalenka, Rybakina, Swiatek, or Andreeva have already been eliminated, so a good result could bring Coco closer to the world No. 1. If she wins the tournament, she will have 6869 points, while Sabalenka leads the ranking with 8550 points, paving the way for what may happen by the end of the season.
本新闻为自动翻译。您可以阅读原始新闻:Gauff remonta a Bencic y se mete en cuartos de Wimbledon

