Kartal's memorable Indian Wells run ended by Sabalenka

Former Olympic champion Belinda Bencic continued her sensational form since returning from maternity leave by beating Coco Gauff to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals.

Bencic, who gave birth to her daughter Bella last April, battled hard to win 3-6 6-3 6-4 against American third seed Gauff.

The 28-year-old Swiss player has won 17 of her 21 matches since making her comeback to the WTA Tour this season.

Last month she won the Abu Dhabi Open title just 10 months after the arrival of her first child.

After beating Gauff, Bencic said becoming a mother has given a new perspective on her career and allowing her to play with more freedom.

"I always tell myself it doesn't matter if I win this match, I've already won in life," she said in her on-court interview.

"I have a beautiful family, I'm very blessed."

Bencic will face Australian Open champion Madison Keys in the last eight, who beat Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic 4-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-3 for her 15th consecutive win.

The level of Bencic's game - and the results which she has achieved - so soon into her comeback has been very impressive.

Unranked when she returned to the second-tier WTA Challenger Tour in October, the 2020 Olympic gold medallist will move back inside the world's top 50 next week.

Bencic is hitting her low, flat groundstrokes confidently and the strength of her backhand - both crosscourt and down the line - particularly caused problems for Gauff.

Gauff, who turns 21 on Thursday, was regularly pinned into the backhand corner and Bencic's aggression stifled one of the 2023 US Open champion's most effect shots.

Bencic's improved fitness also showed in the decider. She fought back from 40-0 down to break Gauff for a 5-4 lead in the decider, serving out victory after two hours and 20 minutes.

"Obviously it's not easy after maternity leave to do all the work again," said Bencic, who faded in a three-set defeat by Gauff at the Australian Open in January.

"You feel like physically you're doing stuff from zero and it's just your body changing so much in a short period of time.

"It was really difficult, but I definitely feel like physically, I am there like before [maternity leave]."

Beating Gauff secured her second win over a top-five opponent in 2025, having beaten 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the Abu Dhabi semi-finals.

Bencic is only the sixth wildcard to reach the women's last eight at Indian Wells since the tournament began in 1989.