Coco Gauff Extends Dominance as Belinda Bencic’s Inspiring Comeback Fuels Intensifying WTA Rivalry

Key Points

• Coco Gauff holds the world No. 3 ranking with 6,763 points as of December 2025.
• Gauff’s 2025 season includes French Open and Wuhan Open titles, plus 48 match wins.
• Belinda Bencic surged over 900 ranking spots after returning from motherhood, now ranked No. 22.
• Their head-to-head this season: Gauff leads with wins at the Australian Open and Beijing.
• Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, and Gauff form the current top three in WTA rankings.

Gauff’s Unstoppable Momentum

American star Coco Gauff continues to solidify her place among tennis’s elite, closing out 2025 with a commanding presence on the WTA Tour. Ranked No. 3 globally, Gauff has delivered consistent performances across major tournaments, underscoring her reputation as one of the sport’s brightest talents.

Her achievements this season include winning the French Open at Roland Garros and capturing the Wuhan Open title. With 48 wins and just 16 losses, Gauff’s conditioning and mental resilience have set her apart. Off the court, she became the highest-paid female athlete of 2025, with estimated earnings surpassing $37 million.

Bencic’s Remarkable Return

Swiss champion Belinda Bencic has staged one of the year’s most inspiring comebacks. After welcoming her daughter Bella in April 2024, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medalist returned to competition with renewed determination.

Her climb from outside the top 450 to No. 22 in the rankings marks a dramatic turnaround. Bencic captured the Pan Pacific Open earlier this year, her 10th career WTA title, and posted a 36-16 record in 2025. Her resurgence highlights that motherhood has not diminished her competitive edge.

Rivalry in Focus

The Gauff-Bencic rivalry has become one of the defining narratives of the season.

Head-to-Head in 2025:

• Australian Open (Jan): Gauff def. Bencic 5-7, 6-2, 6-1
• Indian Wells (Mar): Bencic def. Gauff 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
• China Open Beijing (Sept): Gauff def. Bencic 4-6, 7-6, 6-2

Their Beijing clash was particularly tense, with Bencic accusing Gauff of “mind games” and complaining about coaching noise from her camp. Despite the drama, Gauff rallied from a set down to secure victory.

WTA Rankings Landscape

The final stretch of 2025 reflects a shifting hierarchy in women’s tennis:

1. Aryna Sabalenka – World No. 1
2. Iga Swiatek – World No. 2
3. Coco Gauff – World No. 3
4. Amanda Anisimova – World No. 4
5. Elena Rybakina – World No. 5

Bencic, now ranked No. 22 with 3,168 points, remains outside the top tier but commands respect for her resilience and ability to challenge higher-ranked opponents.

What It Means for Their Legacies

For Coco Gauff, each victory strengthens her case as the most dominant American female player of her generation. Additional titles would cement her place among the sport’s all-time greats and bolster her global sponsorship appeal.

For Belinda Bencic, every win validates her comeback journey, proving that her sacrifices have paid off. Her quest is not just about rankings but about reclaiming elite status and showing that motherhood and championship ambitions can coexist.