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Coco Gauff Details Scary Scene at Madrid Open During Power Outage

Coco Gauff shared her version of events as the power went out across Spain.
Pat Benson|
Coco Gauff finished her match at the Madrid Open just before the power outage.
Coco Gauff finished her match at the Madrid Open just before the power outage. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

On Monday afternoon, Coco Gauff defeated Belinda Bencic in straight sets during their fourth-round match at the Madrid Open: 6-4, 6-2.

Picking up a big win on clay and avenging her loss from Indian Wells should have been the most eventful part of Gauff's day. Instead, she was a central character in one of the scariest days in recent history for Spain.

During Gauff's post-match interview, the microphone stopped working. It seemed like an innocuous moment, and Gauff laughed it off.

But it was the beginning of widespread power outages across large parts of Spain and neighboring countries. It was also one of the very last matches before all play was canceled for April 28.

Thanks to Gauff's social media posts and quotes from reporters on the scene, we now know how scary of a situation it was for athletes, media, and fans in Madrid.

The WTA World No. 4 was able to share a video from inside the pitch-black women's locker room before losing an internet connection. "There's literally no power. I'm literally in the locker room about to take a shower," said Gauff.

She continued, "All of this is just emergency light right here, but over here, there is no power where the showers are. I'm about to take a shower, and I’ll let you know how it goes."

Apparently, it did not go well. Gauff explained in Greg Garber's story for the WTA:

"There's no running water, so I just had to take baby wipes and wipe myself, and spray some perfume and call it a day. I don't think we're even going to be able to go back to the hotel because the traffic lights are out.

"It's just crazy how much we depend on electricity; it's really insane and puts it in perspective. Also makes me think about the humans before electricity and how impressive that is."

While it was and continues to be a scary situation in Spain, Gauff is seeking out the silver lining, "That's tennis, that's life."

"I feel like, at this point, this is only a situation you can laugh at if I was on court," said Gauff. "Because it's probably not going to happen ever again, and we'll always remember the day the power went out at Madrid Open."

Gauff also shared some interesting anecdotes from the player's area inside the Caja Magica. She, Frances Tiafoe, Mirra Andreeva, Diana Shnaider, and Madison Keys all pulled out their phones and used the lights to talk in the darkness.

Best of all, Gauff got a lucky bounce with the scheduling. On Sunday, she requested the schedulers to place her match second in the order of play.

"But I'm glad that request didn't go through. Shoutout to the WTA supervisors for making the right decision for me."

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers professional tennis for Serve on Sports Illustrated, reporting on ATP and WTA events worldwide. From Challenger tournaments to Grand Slams, he brings readers in-depth coverage, daily recaps, and exclusive interviews with some of the biggest names in the sport. With a decade of experience in sports journalism, Pat is recognized as a trusted voice in tennis media. You can contact him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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