A semifinal spot in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is secured for Coco Gauff after a commanding victory over Filipina standout Alexandra Eala on Thursday night.
Seeded third in the tournament, the American moved past the World No. 47 with a 6-0, 6-2 result that lasted just over an hour at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Despite struggling with her serve at times — tallying eight double faults — Gauff controlled most exchanges and dictated the tempo from the baseline.
Her upcoming opponent will be Elina Svitolina, a two-time Dubai champion who previously eliminated Gauff in straight sets at last month’s Australian Open.
Gauff entered the quarterfinal carrying concerns about her form. In her previous round, she needed to fend off three match points and recorded 16 double faults before edging out Elise Mertens. Against Eala, the serving issues resurfaced but proved less costly.
From the outset, the gap in ranking and experience was evident. Eala surrendered her opening service game and found herself under immediate pressure in rallies. Even when Gauff misfired with early double faults, the Filipina was unable to take advantage, committing errors at critical moments — misjudged shots, volleys drifting wide, and returns sailing long.
Midway through the first set, Eala managed to fend off a break opportunity but could not hold at deuce, allowing Gauff to stretch her lead. The American completed a dominant opening set without dropping a game.
The atmosphere inside the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, however, told a different story. A large Filipino contingent filled the stands, waving placards and chanting encouragement throughout the match. One sign read, “UAE: United for Alex Eala,” reflecting the strong support behind the 20-year-old.
The crowd remained vocal even as Gauff extended her streak to 10 straight games. Eala eventually halted the run at 4-1 in the second set after a lengthy rally that drew loud reactions from the stands. She followed it with a break to narrow the deficit to 4-2, briefly injecting energy into the contest.
Any shift in momentum was short-lived. Gauff immediately reclaimed control with another break and closed out the match to move into the final four, where she will attempt to reverse her recent loss to Svitolina.
