Dramatic scenes unfolded at Wimbledon on Monday as the families of Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, two unlikely quarterfinalists, shed tears after they won their round of 16 encounters.
Surprisingly, Bencic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic winner, had failed to make the last eight at Wimbledon in nine previous appearances. Cobolli, on the other hand, has been a breakout star in Italian tennis this year, winning two clay titles in Romania and Hamburg.
How Belinda Bencic Reacted After Reaching Her First Quarterfinal at Wimbledon
Bencic held her hands aloft after taking down No. 18 seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6(4), 6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam quarterfinal as a mother in one hour and 57 minutes. The Swiss star was then spotted sobbing as she soaked in the result.
Notably, the result came days after the Swiss fell 6-1, 6-2 to the same opponent in the first round of the Bad Homburg Open in Germany. Bencic has also been struggling with injuries that forced her to miss the French Open.
What a moment ✨
In her ninth appearance at The Championships, Belinda Bencic reaches her first QF at SW19 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/QgprKB6lDL
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 7, 2025
“For you guys, it was entertaining, but for me it was the biggest stress,” Bencic said in her post-match interview. “It was very difficult moment – you’re trying to serve it out, but your body is not listening to what your mind is saying. Crazy stress in the end.”
Bencic, 28, took a sabbatical from the sport in April 2024 to give birth to daughter Bella and returned to action, unranked, in October of that year. She climbed back up to No. 35 in the rankings thanks to consistent performances, including a fourth-round appearance at the Australian Open and a WTA title in Abu Dhabi.
Despite winning nine times on the WTA Tour, Bencic has traditionally underperformed at the slams, particularly at Wimbledon. However, she did win Wimbledon as a junior in 2013.
How Flavio Cobolli Reached the Final 8 at Wimbledon
Cobolli’s passage to the last 8 was a bit more complicated as he had to face Marin Cilic, the 2017 Wimbledon runner-up, who had taken out British World No. 4 in the second round.
However, in a thrilling encounter, the Italian kept his nerve in the crucial moments to prevail 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(3).
This elicited strong reactions in his box, with several members of his family breaking down into tears. In his post-match interview, Cobolli said, “I have all my family here, so it’s very special. My dad is crying right now, my brother, too. Also, my great friend is here. It’s a moment that I cannot forget, and I am very happy. I’m looking forward to the quarter-final.”
This year’s last-eight finish at Wimbledon is the Italian’s best result at a Grand Slam, as he had previously failed to go beyond the third round at any major.
