MADRID — The red clay of the Madrid Open is about to witness a fresh chapter in a budding rivalry. On April 28, Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old American phenom, will lock horns with Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in their first-ever clay court clash, a Round of 16 matchup that’s got the tennis world buzzing. This isn’t just another match—it’s a collision of grit, talent, and contrasting styles on the slow, gritty surface of the Caja Mágica’s Arantxa Sánchez Stadium.
Gauff, fresh off her 2023 U.S. Open title, has been carving her path through the WTA 1000 tournament with a mix of raw power and relentless hustle. She clawed her way past Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska in a wild three-setter on April 26, shaking off a 0-6 first-set drubbing to win 7-6(5), 6-3. The fourth seed’s heavy topspin and lightning-fast footwork make her a natural on clay, though she’s had to grind through patchy moments this week. Her victory over Yastremska marked her second straight year reaching the fourth round in Madrid, a sign she’s finding her groove on the dirt.
Bencic, meanwhile, is no stranger to defying odds. The 28-year-old Swiss star, who welcomed her daughter Bella in April 2024, has roared back to form, claiming the WTA 500 title in Abu Dhabi in February. She punched her ticket to this round with a hard-fought 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(2) win over Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia on April 27, shrugging off a mid-match stumble to seal it in a tense tiebreak. Bencic’s flatter, precise groundstrokes and crafty court sense have carried her through straight-set wins in her first two matches, but the clay’s slower pace will test her against Gauff’s spin-heavy game.
This isn’t their first rodeo. The two have tangled four times since 2021, splitting the wins evenly. Gauff got the upper hand in their most recent clash at the Australian Open in January, staging a comeback to win 7-5, 6-4 in the fourth round. But Bencic struck last at Indian Wells in March, outlasting Gauff in a 6-4, 6-7(2), 6-3 thriller. Their 2023 meeting in Washington, D.C., went Gauff’s way in straight sets, while Bencic dominated their 2021 Adelaide semifinal. With a 2-2 head-to-head, this fifth meeting feels like a coin toss.
The stakes are high. A win would propel either player into the Madrid Open quarterfinals, a career-first for Gauff at this event and a chance for Bencic to build on her resurgent 2025 season. The match is slated to kick off at 11 a.m. local time on April 28, with the winner likely facing a top seed in the next round. On clay, where patience and adaptability reign, Gauff’s heavy spin could give her an edge, but Bencic’s knack for redirecting pace and finding angles makes her a dangerous wildcard.
Both players have been tight-lipped about strategy, though Gauff hinted at confidence in her clay game after her Yastremska win, noting the surface suits her grinding style. Bencic, ever the quiet competitor, has let her racket do the talking, her Abu Dhabi title proving she’s back in elite form post-motherhood. The Madrid crowd, known for its electric vibe, will be treated to a battle of youth versus experience, power versus precision, on a surface that forgives no mistakes.
The match is set for April 28 at the Arantxa Sánchez Stadium. It’s the fifth meeting between Gauff and Bencic, with their head-to-head tied at 2-2. Gauff reached the Madrid fourth round for the second consecutive year. Bencic won the Abu Dhabi WTA 500 title in February 2025.