Belinda Bencic pulled out of her 2026 Canadian Open showdown against Coco Gauff on Tuesday night, citing a hip injury that has bothered her since her Wimbledon run. The Bencic vs Gauff matchup was one of the WTA Toronto tournament's most anticipated quarterfinals.
Instead, however, Gauff advances to this year's semifinals via walkover.
Belinda Bencic Withdraws From WTA Toronto Quarterfinals
Rather than skip the trip to Centre Court, Bencic walked out to face the crowd herself. She explained she had spent hours trying to get ready. First came a full warmup, then tape, then painkillers. But nothing loosened the joint enough to play.
“It was really not possible tonight.”
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) August 11, 2026
Belinda Bencic speaks with @SNMichaud after she withdrew from her match against Coco Gauff due to a hip injury. pic.twitter.com/2I2q2AMaex
"I'm really, really sorry. I'm well aware that all of you came out tonight to support us and I'm really sorry we cannot give you the match. I really tried all I could to be ready for tonight," Bencic told fans.
The decision itself, she added, was not a difficult one. "I couldn't really move so I don't think I had much of a choice."
Gauff, the No. 4 seed, now meets No. 2 Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. Bencic, seeded 12th in the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati, is set to open there on Saturday.
