The first female singles quarterfinalist has emerged, unexpectedly stirring up a big controversy! Netizens say: Gauff won the match but lost the verbal battle.

The emergence of the first female singles quarterfinalist at the China Open also unexpectedly treated everyone to a spectacular drama, presented by Bencic and Gauff together!

When Olympic champion Bencic met two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff in the round of 16, this match was deemed the absolute focal point even before it started.

As soon as the match time was confirmed, many viewers in the live stream clearly stated that this match must be marked on their watchlist, saying, "I'd rather drink less water than miss such an exciting duel." This shows just how highly anticipated the match was.

It turned out that Bencic and Gauff did not disappoint; from the very first set, neither held back, immediately launching into an intense battle, openly showing their determination to dominate one another, thrilling fans and netizens alike.

When Bencic took the initiative to win the first set 6-4, putting all the pressure on Gauff, some viewers in the live chat began to worry for the American player, commenting that since Alcaraz abandoned the China Open this year for Tokyo, thus forfeiting his title defense, could it be that the defending women’s champion Gauff would also officially fail to defend her title after this match against Bencic?

Especially as the second set reached a tiebreak, Gauff’s supporters nervously admitted they were so tense their fingers almost clenched painfully, fearing "Gauff might not last all three sets and could be overwhelmed by Bencic in two straight sets."

Although Gauff’s situation appeared difficult at that moment, she did not disappoint her supporters during the tiebreak, narrowly winning it against Bencic and then beginning her path toward victory.

In the deciding set, Bencic seemed drained of energy, and once Gauff took control, the outcome was no longer in doubt. When the American finished the match 6-2, the Swiss star never regained her earlier form and helplessly watched Gauff turn the tables and happily march to victory.

This win showcased Gauff’s exceptional resilience and composure under pressure, while also producing the first female singles quarterfinalist at this China Open, with the American claiming this early honor.

After the match, fans and netizens commented that while the game was thrilling, the fiery exchanges between the two players during the match were equally memorable.

In the second set, after breaking Gauff’s serve and leading 4-3, Bencic told the crowd, “It’s fine to cheer at the end of a rally, I don’t mind. But when I’m about to serve, you don’t need to applaud.”

When Bencic said this, many people were confused, not understanding why she suddenly made such a remark—was she unhappy with the Chinese audience?

In fact, Bencic’s comment had two meanings: first, that the crowd was mostly supporting Gauff; second, it expressed dissatisfaction with Gauff’s team.

Gauff’s immediate public support for her own team was the clearest proof of this.

It was expected that during the crucial phase, Bencic wouldn’t escalate things, but instead, she became even more agitated, saying, “Nobody is talking to you! She’s talking to me, okay? Your team is chatting. I’m older now and don’t want to play these mind games!”

At this point, it became clear why Bencic suddenly got angry and argued with Gauff despite risking her image: she believed Gauff’s team was constantly talking during the match, trying to distract her.

“She seemed to say something like ‘shut up’ to me and my team, but I didn’t hear it live. Maybe she was upset hearing their cheers. For me, when I’m focused, I don’t pay much attention to what others say, and I respect others’ cheers,” Gauff explained after the match about the dispute with Bencic, emphasizing that she didn’t understand why the Swiss star got mad and never intended to argue, never expecting things to escalate like this.

Additionally, Gauff stressed that she usually avoids disputes unless “someone brings up the issue first, then I respond quickly.”

Another reason the American didn’t hold back against Bencic this time was that she felt the Swiss player’s behavior was somewhat excessive, saying, “If I scored the winning point and my team cheered, and the opponent told them to be quiet, I’d find that hard to understand.”

Although the incident upset Gauff, the match result was still a cause for celebration for her. She emphasized after the match that she owed her victory partly to the small episode triggered by Bencic at a critical moment, since she was broken and treated rudely by her opponent, which also affected her team, “so I felt I had to win the match, which gave me extra motivation.”

After the match, public reactions to the verbal clash between Gauff and Bencic were quite amusing: the Swiss player lost the match but won the war of words; the American lost the verbal battle but won the match—“each took one win, so it’s a tie, nobody really lost.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Moonlit Starry Sky)