In a moment that captured the unpredictability of live sport, Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old American tennis star, was left startled mid-sentence during a post-match interview at the 2025 Madrid Open, as a massive power outage plunged the Caja Mágica into darkness and silenced her microphone. The world No. 4 had just secured a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Olympic champion Belinda Bencic on April 28, advancing to her first Madrid Open quarter-final. But the celebration was abruptly halted by an unprecedented blackout that disrupted the tournament and much of Spain and Portugal, turning a routine interview into a surreal spectacle.
Gauff, fresh off her straight-sets win, was sharing lighthearted details about her pre-match meal—avocado toast and fruit—when the microphone cut out. “I definitely had avocado toast and what else did I – Oh, fruits! So that was pretty much it,” she began, before the sudden silence left her visibly confused. She stepped back, letting out a nervous laugh as she exchanged words with the reporter, likely learning of the widespread power failure. “It was pitch-black, and I got the gist that the power went out,” Gauff later shared on social media, adding, “I thought it was just us and then I realized it was the whole country—that’s just insane.” The outage, which affected airports, metro systems, and traffic lights across Spain and Portugal, forced the Madrid Open to suspend play on all courts, leaving players like Grigor Dimitrov and Jacob Fearnley stranded mid-match.
The blackout’s impact extended beyond the court. Gauff revealed she had to navigate a pitch-black locker room, relying on a single emergency light to shower. “There’s literally no power. I’m literally in the locker room about to take a shower,” she said in an Instagram video, panning across the darkened gym. She also shared a photo of a staff member carrying candles to illuminate the player areas, a testament to the tournament’s scramble to adapt. “Apparently the power is out in most of the country and in Portugal. I finished my match right before it happened, thank God,” Gauff wrote, expressing relief that her match concluded just in time.
Gauff’s resilience shone through both on and off the court. Her victory over Bencic, a rematch of their 2025 Indian Wells clash, showcased her growing confidence on clay. After a first-round bye, Gauff battled past Dayana Yastremska in a grueling three-setter (0-6, 6-2, 7-5) and then dispatched Ann Li to reach the round of 16. Against Bencic, she unleashed six return winners in the first set alone, sealing the match with 24 winners overall. “I played really well today,” Gauff had said earlier in the tournament, reflecting on her ability to rebound from setbacks, a skill honed since her 2023 US Open triumph. Her quarter-final berth marked a milestone: she became only the second player, after Bethanie Mattek-Sands in 2011, to reach the Madrid Open last eight after losing the first set of an earlier match 6-0.
The power outage, described as a “problem in Spain’s transportation network” by Portuguese officials, cast a shadow over the tournament’s operations. Only Gauff and Mirra Andreeva, who defeated Yuliia Starodubtseva 6-1, 6-4, completed their matches before the blackout. Andreeva, the 17-year-old Russian prodigy, now awaits Gauff in a blockbuster quarter-final, their third career meeting. Gauff leads their head-to-head 2-0, with wins at the 2023 French Open and US Open, but Andreeva’s recent WTA 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells signal a fierce challenge. “Madrid energy is different!” Gauff posted, her enthusiasm undimmed by the chaos.
As the tournament awaits power restoration, Gauff’s ability to stay composed amid the disruption mirrors her on-court tenacity. From her viral fan interaction in 2024—when a supporter tattooed her signature—to her candid criticism of past Madrid Open controversies, like the 2023 trophy ceremony snub, Gauff has proven she’s more than a champion; she’s a voice for her generation. With Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and others still in the draw, Gauff’s quest for a first WTA 1000 title in 2025 is far from over, blackout or not.