American No. 1 Coco Gauff was in good spirits even after a grueling round of 16 match against Elise Mertens, as she sent a hilarious message to Filipino WTA pro Alexandra Eala’s fans inside the center court at the Dubai Open. Gauff sealed a thrilling come-from-behind win against a Belgian who had overpowered the American in the first two sets.
Gauff lost the first set 6-2 and was on the brink of yet another shock exit from a WTA 1000 event in the second when she dug deep to save match points, win the second tiebreak in a marathon tiebreak, and then seal the victory in the third, 6-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament.
After the win, Gauff gave an on-court interview, where she addressed the fans at center court, who turned up in huge numbers, and according to the American, it was to witness Eala play next. Gauff expressed her gratitude to the crowd for cheering her, even as she hilariously apologized for keeping them waiting for Eala’s round of 16 match against Sorana Cirstea.
“I don’t even remember the last time I saved match points. So, probably when I was 15, but I am really happy to get through today, it was a long one. I know you guys are probably here for Alex [Eala], so I’m sorry to make you wait,” Gauff said.
“If I’m not mistaken, I think some of you guys are cheering for me, so I appreciate it a lot, and I hope you guys enjoy the next match. But thank you for cheering for me for now,” she added.
Eala won her match against the Romanian veteran, defeating her 7-5, 6-4 and advancing to the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 event in Dubai.
Coco Gauff and Alex Eala to Lock Horns in a Feisty QF Clash at the Dubai Open
Gauff is set to face Eala in a blockbuster quarterfinal at the Dubai Open on Thursday. This will be the first meeting between the two-time Grand Slam champion and the Filipino rising star. Either player is contending for a decent record on hard surfaces this year, with Gauff at 9-3 and Eala at 10-5.
To call this game from the onset is difficult since Eala has been playing her brand of tennis effectively in recent events. Despite both players having a slightly disappointing run in the Middle East swing, expect the fireworks to go off in this one as the Filipino will push Gauff to the limits.
The winner of this match will face either Antonia Ruzic or Elina Svitolina in the semifinals and could potentially face either Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, or defending champion Mirra Andreeva in the finals.
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