Rising stars Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva, two of the youngest players currently ranked in the Top 30, are set to compete in the quarterfinals of the Mutua Madrid Open. This upcoming match will be their third career meeting.
Fourth seed Coco Gauff secured her place in the Madrid quarterfinals for the first time by defeating Belinda Bencic with a score of 6-4, 6-2. This victory represents the latest encounter in their ongoing rivalry. The 20-year-old American has now successfully reached the quarterfinal stage at every current WTA 1000 tournament except the Miami Open.
Shortly after Gauff`s match concluded, seventh seed Mirra Andreeva also advanced to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year in Madrid. She achieved this by overcoming qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4. Andreeva has already claimed two WTA 1000 titles this season, having won in Dubai and Indian Wells, and is scheduled to celebrate her 18th birthday on Tuesday.
The tournament experienced widespread power outages across Spain minutes after Gauff clinched her victory, an issue confirmed by the electricity grid operator, Red Eléctrica. The power disruption occurred while Andreeva was serving for her match, but she managed to save four break points to secure the win before play was temporarily halted on all courts.
The pair had not faced each other since Andreeva`s breakout season on the Hologic WTA Tour in 2023. Both of their previous encounters took place at Grand Slam events. In the third round of Roland Garros 2023, where Andreeva made her Grand Slam main-draw debut after qualifying, her run was stopped by Gauff with a score of 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1. Gauff repeated her success three months later in the second round of the US Open, winning 6-3, 6-2.
Now, two years after their initial matches, they will meet for the first time while both are ranked in the Top 10. Andreeva is currently on a five-match winning streak against Top 10 opponents. Gauff`s only previous match against a Top 10 ranked player this season resulted in a loss to Jasmine Paolini in the Stuttgart quarterfinals last week.
Gauff`s Performance vs. Bencic
Gauff and Bencic have frequently competed against each other recently; this match was their third of the current season and their first meeting ever on clay. Gauff now holds a 3-2 lead in their overall head-to-head record and a 2-1 advantage this season.
A notable aspect of Gauff`s performance was her effective pressure on Bencic`s second serve. She hit three clean return winners to achieve her first break, taking a 4-2 lead in the opening set, and another such winner secured a break for a 3-1 lead in the second set. Ultimately, Bencic won only four points when serving her second ball throughout the match.
Andreeva`s Steady Play
Andreeva delivered a composed and resilient performance against Yuliia Starodubtseva, an opponent she had never faced before. Starodubtseva displayed a combination of power and finesse, signaling her intentions by earning three break points in the very first game and utilizing effective drop shots throughout the contest.
However, Andreeva`s ability to adapt her tactics to crucial moments is a major strength, and she demonstrated it once again. Despite Starodubtseva`s persistent pressure, Andreeva successfully saved all nine break points against her. In the first set, she maintained consistent play to force errors from her world No. 99 ranked opponent on important points. In the second set, as the score tightened, Andreeva became more creative and aggressive, incorporating well-executed drop shots of her own to match her opponent.
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth