(VIDEO) “No one’s talking to you!”: Belinda Bencic loses cool in clash with Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic faced off in the Round of 16 of the China Open, with the World No. 3 earning a hard-fought victory after turning the score around in two hours and 31 minutes, winning 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2. The match was marked by a heated argument during the first set after Bencic reprimanded her opponent.

Bencic was upset after members of Gauff’s team applauded after a point for the American, while Bencic was preparing to serve. Gauff said, “There’s nobody in the stadium. It’s been so respectful,” to which Bencic replied, “They can cheer after the point.”

The interruptions did not sit well with the Swiss player, who, while walking to the changeover—already up 4-3—insisted on her complaints about Gauff's team interrupting during her serve. “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.”

At that moment, in a video captured by the official broadcast, Gauff is seen saying something—inaudible—to Bencic while the Swiss player attempts to speak with the umpire, which left Bencic visibly displeased. “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!”

Coco Gauff continues her campaign aiming to defend the China Open title, and so far, things have gone well for the American, who survived complicated battles against both Leylah Fernandez and Belinda Bencic, coming back from a clear deficit in both matches.

Bencic won the first set and was up a break in the second set (4-3). Gauff managed to push the set to a tie-break, where Bencic once again started with the lead, but Gauff recovered, winning 6 of the last 7 points of the tie-break and forcing a third set. It was there that Gauff proved stronger in the decisive moments, dominating her rival with a convincing 6-2 in the final set that propels her to the quarterfinals.

The two-time Grand Slam champion extended her positive record against the Swiss player to 4-2. This was the fourth meeting this season alone between Bencic and Gauff, with the American having won twice (Australian Open, Madrid) and Bencic once (Indian Wells).

After the match, Gauff was asked about the discussion she had with Bencic and her box. “Yeah, I mean, I knew she said something to my team, but I didn’t know exactly what,” the World No. 3 said in a press conference. “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,” she added.

“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. 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’,” Gauff explained.

“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,” the two-time major champion added. “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.”