Belinda Bencic came from a set down to continue her sensational return to tennis, ousting Coco Gauff in three sets to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals. 

Bencic, who gave birth last April, was unranked on returning to professional action in October but has since risen to world number 58 this week with a record of 16-4. 

She beat Gauff 3-6 6-3 6-4 in two hours and 20 minutes on Wednesday, while also claiming her second victory over a player inside the top five of the rankings in 2025.

Both players enjoyed early breaks in the opener, but an impressive sixth game against the serve by Gauff saw her cruise to the opening set and edge closer to the final eight. 

But Bencic roared back in the second set, racing into a 3-0 lead before taking the encounter to a decider after converting set point at the second time of asking. 

The pair traded blows in the final set, with Bencic finally breaking Gauff's resolve in the ninth game, sealing the win as the American sent a forehand long. 

6 - Belinda Bencic is the sixth wild card to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells since the tournament’s inception in 1989. Run.#TennisParadise | @BNPPARIBASOPEN @WTA @WTA_insider pic.twitter.com/6fOFzyYMy0

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) March 12, 2025

Data Debrief: Wild card Bencic continues to shine

Many would not have predicted Bencic's imperious form so soon after returning to the court, but the Swiss continued her comeback trail with another fine individual display. 

Indeed, Bencic has reached the quarter-finals at Indian Wells for the second time, while also avenging her fourth-round defeat at the Australian Open to Gauff back in January.

And in advancing to the final eight, Bencic became just the sixth wild card to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells since the tournament's inception in 1989.

Bencic is also the second wild card to win against a top-five opponent at Indian Wells since the tournament's inception after Martina Hingis defeated Lindsay Davenport in 2006.