The Mutua Madrid Open quarterfinals will feature a highly anticipated third career meeting between two of the youngest players in the Top 30: Coco Gauff and Mirra Andreeva.
Gauff`s Victory and Madrid Debut
Fourth seed Coco Gauff secured her first-ever spot in the Madrid quarterfinals by defeating long-time rival Belinda Bencic in a relatively straightforward match, 6-4, 6-2. This victory means the 20-year-old American has now reached the quarterfinals of every WTA 1000 tournament on the current calendar except Miami.
Andreeva`s Strong Run Continues
Shortly after Gauff wrapped up her win, seventh seed Mirra Andreeva also advanced, overcoming qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-1, 6-4. This marks Andreeva`s second consecutive appearance in the Madrid quarterfinals. The 18-year-old, who will celebrate her birthday on Tuesday, has already claimed two WTA 1000 titles this year in Dubai and Indian Wells.
Interestingly, immediately after Gauff`s match point, a widespread power outage affected Spain. The power cut occurred as Andreeva was serving for her match, but she demonstrated remarkable composure, saving four break points to close out the win just before play was suspended across all courts.
Past Meetings and Current Form
Gauff and Andreeva haven`t competed against each other since Andreeva`s breakthrough season in 2023. Their two previous encounters both took place on the Grand Slam stage. Gauff defeated Andreeva in the third round of Roland Garros (6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1) and again in the second round of the US Open (6-3, 6-2) three months later.
Now, two years on, they will face off as Top 10 players for the first time. Andreeva arrives with impressive momentum, currently on a five-match winning streak against Top 10 opponents. Gauff, in contrast, lost her only prior 2025 match against a fellow Top 10 player to Jasmine Paolini in the Stuttgart quarterfinals last week.
Key Factors in Gauff`s Win Over Bencic
Analyzing Gauff`s win over Bencic, which was their third meeting this season and first on clay, her serve and return game were particularly decisive. Gauff now leads the overall head-to-head 3-2 (2-1 in 2025).
Unlike their recent three-set battles, this match was relatively quick. Gauff outplayed Bencic significantly, especially targeting Bencic`s second serve. Gauff created 14 break point opportunities (converting four) while facing only one herself. She also hit significantly more winners (25 vs 10) and won a higher percentage of her first-serve points (85% vs 60%). Gauff`s relentless pressure on Bencic`s second serve was a key factor, leading to three return winners and Bencic winning only four points total behind her second delivery.
Andreeva`s Composure Against Starodubtseva
Andreeva`s performance against qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva showcased her cool and clutch play. Despite facing a dangerous opponent she had never met before, who blended power and finesse and created three break points in the opening game, Andreeva remained steady. A key strength for the young Russian is her tactical intelligence under pressure. Facing nine break points against Starodubtseva, she saved them all. In the first set, she used consistent play to force errors. In the second set, as the score tightened, Andreeva adapted, becoming more aggressive and incorporating her own effective drop shots.
Rupert Caldwell