In a race against time, Coco Gauff turned one of her biggest weaknesses into a strength to reach her first-ever Wimbledon quarterfinal. Known for struggling on serve in key moments, Gauff changed her approach late in the match against Belinda Bencic, mindful of Wimbledon’s 11 p.m. curfew. With both players taking to Court 1 late, finishing the match that evening became a priority to avoid returning the next day.

“I was looking at the clock during the last service game. I was like ‘I gotta hit some big serves and big shots,” said Gauff in her on-court interview.

“Honestly, that match point I was going for a serve and volley because I was like ‘I need to end the point’. 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. But honestly, today I felt the pressure. I’m glad I didn’t choose basketball.”

Wimbledon’s strict 11 p.m. curfew added extra urgency, with the deciding set beginning at 10:05 p.m.

With the added pressure, Gauff opened the third set with an early break, only for Belinda Bencic to level at 2-2. With the clock ticking, the American traded her usual defensive style for a more aggressive baseline approach to put pressure on Bencic’s serve. The change paid off as Gauff secured another break and got the opportunity to serve at 5-4, just minutes before the curfew imposed.

In the tenth game, Gauff hit a couple of winners, before sealing the victory with a match point. Serve and volley on match point is far from a trademark Gauff play, but with the clock in mind, the American showcased a more attacking side of her game. And then, she went on to win the match just when the clock hit the 10:58 mark.

Playing late at Wimbledon often creates logistical challenges, as the outer courts are not equipped with floodlights. The show courts do have artificial lighting, but the designated curfew applies, as playing beyond the stipulated time might cause a commotion among residents in the area and make it difficult for fans to find suitable transportation home.

However, the 22-year-old later admitted she didn’t realize that once the final game had begun, players were allowed to finish it, even if the time went past 11.

“We started the third set at 10:05, so it should be enough to finish a set, but we had a couple of long games”, said Gauff in the post-match press conference. “I did not want to come out here tomorrow. I didn’t realize that once we started the last game, we would be allowed to finish, however long it took.”

Gauff’s celebration was fitting for the occasion as she pointed towards her wrist, signaling she had secured the victory within the deadline. However, more than that, she was extremely pleased to reach her maiden Wimbledon quarterfinal.

Coco Gauff reaches the Wimbledon Quarterfinal for the first time

Having won the French Open in 2025 and the US Open in 2023, and also reaching the latter stages at Melbourne, Wimbledon was the only Slam where Gauff had not gone past the fourth round.

Interestingly, Coco Gauff first burst onto the scene in 2019 with her famous win over Venus Williams. However, she has struggled to consistently produce deep runs at the Championships since then.

This year’s campaign has been far from straightforward as well. After a routine straight-set win over Tamara Korpatsch in the opening round, every match since has tested the American. Following this, she had to win in a deciding set tiebreak against Solana Sierra in the second round, followed by another three-set win against Claire Lu. Against Bencic, Gauff went for big serves, winning the match after losing the first set.

The 2x Grand Slam champion will now face compatriot Jessica Pegula, who has a 5-3 head-to-head record against Gauff. She now enters her maiden SW19 quarterfinal with the added confidence of already knowing what it takes to win a Grand Slam, a factor that could prove valuable.