Coco Gauff through to last 16 in Dubai Championships

Dubai: Coco Gauff avenged her loss over Anna Kalinksaya from 2024 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over the Russian on Tuesday evening.

The match was played under challenging windy conditions, which affected the rhythm and consistency of both players. Kalinskaya started brightly, jumping out to an early 2‑0 lead in the first set as Gauff struggled with her serve and timing. But slowly, the American began to find her range, particularly on return, and mounted a comeback.

Midway through the first set, Kalinskaya was forced to take a medical timeout for treatment on her left leg while trailing 4‑3. Although she tried to maintain her aggressive baseline game after the break, the injury appeared to hinder her movement and effectiveness. Gauff seized the opportunity, ultimately converting key break points to take the first set 6‑4.

In the second set, Kalinskaya again went up early, but Gauff’s relentless returning and improved control on serve gradually turned the tide. Despite committing 12 double faults and numerous unforced errors, Gauff stayed composed, using strong defensive skills and timely offense to keep Kalinskaya off balance. She closed out the set 6‑4, completing a straight‑sets 6‑4, 6‑4 victory.

Afterward, Gauff described the match as “not the prettiest,” noting both players struggled with consistency in the wind, but emphasised that a win is what mattered most.

The American has now set up a date with Elise Mertens in the last 16 of the competition, the furthest she has ever reached.

Despite lots of unforced errors, Gauff was pleased with her performance and feels it’s a step in the right direction.

Speaking on the win she said: “I think today was a confidence booster for me, it was important to try and find form, having a bye and playing an opponent who has already played in the competition is never easy, so I’m pleased with how it went.

“Anna is a tough opponent, and she’s beaten some quality players over the course of her career and even beat me out here a few years ago, so it’s a good feeling to get that one back, winning when I wasn’t feeling my best is what I’m most proud of.”

In the Qatar Open in Doha, Gauff surprisingly crashed out early in straight sets to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, a player ranked outside the top 50 and who entered the main draw as a lucky loser.

Gauff, seeded No. 5, went down 6–4, 6–2 in just over 90 minutes, unable to find her best form on court, with the match highlighting a troubling dip in Gauff’s sharpness and consistency.

The 21-year-old discussed the tough start to her season: “I’m not going to live and die with this result and say I’ve won this match so I’m going to go and win the tournament because this is the part of the season where I usually do struggle.

“I’m trying to figure out why that is but I’m happy with today’s win and I’m going to be positive and use it as momentum in my next match.”