Alex Eala’s magical run in the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship has come to an end after she lost in the quarterfinals to Coco Gauff, 6-0, 6-2.
Domination from Gauff Right from the Start
Gauff imposed first-strike tennis from the outset and broke Eala in all three of her service games in the opening set. The two-time Grand Slam winner also dictated rallies with deep returns and sharp backhand strikes.
The 21-year-old American was nearly flawless in the opening frame as she dominated behind her first serve and capitalized on a flurry of unforced errors from Eala to seal the opening set win. About the only blemish on Gauff’s mastery was three unforced errors that were rendered moot by the American’s superb floor game.
Alex Eala Just Outmatched
Gauff’s momentum carried into the second frame as she secured two quick breaks and raced out to a 4-0 advantage as Eala struggled to find rhythm under relentless pressure.
The 20-year-old Filipina, though, finally held serve in the fifth game to get on the board, then showcased her return game to earn her lone break of the match and trim the deficit to 4-2.
But Coco swiftly extinguished any comeback hopes. The American’s speed and defensive coverage further frustrated the Rafa Nadal Academy alumna, repeatedly tracking down down-the-line drives that might have been winners against most opponents.
Further reasserting control with penetrating groundstrokes and steady serving, Gauff broke back in the seventh game and calmly served out the contest in just one hour and seven minutes to book her semifinal berth.
Historic Tourney for Alex Eala
Despite her unceremonious exit, Eala’s run was nonetheless something to be proud of after she toppled top-10 standout Jasmine Paolini, overcame Hailey Baptiste, and advanced past Sorana Cîrstea to reach her second career WTA 1000 quarterfinal.
In the process, Alex Eala became the first Filipino to reach the quarterfinals of this tournament since it began in 2001. The Filipina bet also booked her second WTA 1000 playoff appearance since the 2025 Miami Open.
