Coco Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a comeback win over Elise Mertens. She now prepares for a challenging match against Alexandra Eala, anticipating strong support from the local Filipino community for her opponent. Gauff expressed enthusiasm for the passionate atmosphere despite the expected crowd favoritism.
Coco Gauff secured her spot in the quarterfinals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships by defeating Elise Mertens 2-6, 7-6(9), 6-3 in the third round. The American saved three match points in a dramatic comeback, marking her first such victory in five years. During her on-court interview, Gauff humorously acknowledged the growing crowd likely waiting for Alexandra Eala's match, saying, “I know you guys are probably here for Alex, so I’m sorry to make you wait!” She also thanked her supporters: “If I’m not mistaken, I think some of you guys are cheering for me, so I appreciate it a lot.”
Gauff spoke positively about the role of passionate crowds, stating they create an atmosphere that is “great for the sport” and that “It’s very fun, regardless if the crowd is for you or not.” Dubai's large Filipino expatriate community, numbering over 450,000 in the city and more than 700,000 across the United Arab Emirates, is expected to strongly back Eala. The 20-year-old Filipino player advanced by beating Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-4, setting up the anticipated clash.
Eala recently experienced similar fervent support in Abu Dhabi, where she upset sixth seed Jasmine Paolini 6-1, 7-6(5). She described playing in such atmospheres as “really such a blessing” and expressed gratitude for introducing women's tennis to a new demographic, hoping to inspire young girls and women to take up sports. This quarterfinal offers Eala a chance to improve her record against Top 10 players to 4-2 and reach her first WTA 1000 semifinal since last year's Miami Open.
Meanwhile, the tournament has faced separate criticism from television viewers over poor ball visibility during daytime matches, attributed to strong sunlight, bright court surfaces, and camera angles. Fans on social media complained, with one stating, “Don’t you just love not being able to actually see the tennis ball in Dubai?” Similar issues have arisen in other events like the Cincinnati Open and Madrid Open.