By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Photo credit: Tony Chang/Chang Photography
This tournament marked a significant milestone for Coco Gauff.
Meanwhile, newcomer mom Belinda Bencic captured everyone’s attention.
In a stunning upset, wild card Bencic rallied to defeat third-seeded Gauff with scores of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, earning her place in the quarterfinals at Indian Wells.
While serving at 4-4, 40-love in the final set, Gauff faltered, losing her serve and subsequently the match just moments later.
The reigning WTA Finals champion encountered some challenges with double faults today, recording eight throughout the match—an improvement from her record-setting 21 in her first-round victory over Moyuka Uchijima.
Gauff’s season has been marred by inconsistent performance, particularly in her serve and forehand.
Reflecting on her progress post-match, Gauff stated that while she has been working to refine her second serve and stabilize her forehand, she feels her practice doesn’t always carry over into competitive play.
Despite the pressure of expectations following her WTA Finals title, Gauff remains positive about the slow start to her 2025 season.
“Overall, I don’t think it’s as bleak as it appears,” Gauff remarked. “I had a decent performance at the United Cup and lost to Paula [Badosa] in the fourth round in Australia. The Middle East swing wasn’t great, and here I battled to a 6-4 in the third set against a tough opponent who’s recently won a 500 event.”
“Of course, I wanted a better performance, but I can’t dwell on it. I’m focusing on improving, and that’s what matters. I’m working hard in practice, though results aren’t yet reflecting my efforts.”
In critical moments of the match today, Bencic aggressively targeted Gauff’s forehand, capitalizing on errors to secure her place in the quarterfinals.
“I sensed she was tense, so I deliberately focused on her forehand,” Bencic explained to reporters in Indian Wells. “It’s tricky to target just one side consistently, as it can give the player rhythm if they are not confident.”
“But it was an instinctive decision, also tactical, and I hoped the pressure of the score might influence her mindset and make her a bit tighter.”
As Gauff celebrates her 21st birthday on Thursday, it serves as a reminder that she has plenty of time to develop her game further.
Although much discussion surrounds Gauff’s pronounced western grip on her forehand, one key issue this tournament has been her inclination to play too many forehands from an open stance and while off-balance.
In comparison, Gauff typically exhibits excellent preparation on her backhand, stepping into the shot and engaging her larger muscle groups for powerful strikes.
However, on her forehand, she sometimes opens her shoulders prematurely and brushes the ball instead of driving through it.
Gauff has made some adjustments to her serve, aiming for a more aggressive style.
“We’ve modified several elements of my serve,” Gauff noted. “I won’t go into specifics, but I returned to the practice court to refine what I could after the first few days of the tournament.”
“While I believe I can still serve more effectively, I was more consistent overall, and I definitely seek to add more aggressiveness to my serve. This tournament began with me struggling to find my serve, so right now, it’s about getting it in play.”
