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- Sep 1, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Coco Gauff (USA) after a miss to Naomi Osaka (JPN) (not pictured) on day nine of the 2025 U.S. Open tennis tournament at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Coco Gauff Claps Back After 'Mind Games' Accusation at China Open

Originally posted on Total Apex Sports | By Fahad Hamid | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 7:49 AM ET

Tennis is usually such a polite sport, isn’t it? Players in crisp white outfits, gentle applause from the crowd, and a level of decorum you just don’t see in, say, a Sunday league football match. But sometimes, just sometimes, the tension boils over, and we get a glorious, drama-filled clash that feels more like a scene from a reality TV show. Enter the China Open, where Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic decided to give us just that.

Their match was less of a simple back-and-forth and more of a three-act play filled with accusations, comebacks, and a racket toss for good measure. It all kicked off when Bencic, clearly not having a great day at the office, took her frustrations out on the chair umpire. Her complaint? She claimed Gauff’s team was being a bit too chatty and disruptive right when she was trying to serve.

“When I’m going to the line ready to serve, they don’t need to cheer,” Bencic vented to the umpire, which, okay, fair enough. But then she turned the dial up to eleven, snapping at Gauff directly: “No one’s talking to you. She’s talking to me, okay! I’m too old for these mind games!”

Ah, the classic “I’m too old for this” line. It’s a bold strategy, especially when you’re directing it at a teenager who is, quite frankly, schooling you on the court.

Coco Gauff’s Cool and Cutting Response

Now, Coco Gauff could have just let it slide. She could have stayed quiet, focused on her game, and let Bencic have her moment. But where’s the fun in that? Instead, Gauff delivered a line so perfectly sharp it could cut glass: “You’re the one playing the mind games.” Mic drop.

It was the kind of clapback that sends ripples through the internet. The perfect, calm retort to a fiery outburst. While Bencic was losing her cool, Gauff was keeping hers, both on the scoreboard and in the war of words. And honestly, we’re here for it.

The Drama On and Off the Court

The on-court drama only seemed to fuel Gauff. After dropping the first set and trailing in the second, she clawed her way back. The tension peaked during a nail-biting tiebreak, where Bencic sealed her own fate with a double fault on set point. In a moment of pure, unfiltered frustration, she hurled her racket to the ground. We’ve all been there, Belinda, just maybe not on an international stage.

From there, Gauff was in total control. She dominated the final set, winning it 6-2 and booking her ticket to the quarter-finals. More importantly, the win officially secured her spot in the prestigious WTA Finals. It was a victory made all the sweeter by the drama that preceded it.

After the match, Gauff was all class, but with a hint of that signature confidence. “It was a tough match,” she admitted. “I had chances in the first to close it out, but I’m happy with how I fought. She was being really aggressive.” You can say that again, Coco.

Gauff’s Spoils of Victory

Qualifying for the WTA Finals is a massive achievement, and Gauff was clearly thrilled. “Happy to qualify once again,” she said. “Happy to be back in Riyadh and I’m glad I was able to do it here.”

But it’s not just the glory and the qualification that have Gauff smiling. The American star has been showered with gifts from her adoring Chinese fans, and she’s not shy about how much she’s enjoying it.

“It’s more gifts than I’ve gotten on Christmas, and I was a pretty spoiled kid,” she joked. “I don’t know if I’ll get as many gifts elsewhere in the world. I hope the western side of the world can be as nice as the Chinese fans are… because I love gifts. I love being spoiled.”

You have to love the honesty. In a world of canned athlete responses, Coco Gauff keeps it real. She’ll call you out for playing mind games, beat you on the court, and then happily talk about how much she loves getting presents. It’s a winning combination, and it’s exactly why she’s one of the most exciting players to watch in tennis today.

This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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