Coco Gauff Looks Forward to Challenge of Playing Alexandra Eala in Front of Passionate Filipino Fans: “Great for the Sport”

After saving three match points against Elise Mertens, Coco Gauff has set up her career's first match against Alexandra Eala.

Coco Gauff Looks Forward to Challenge of Playing Alexandra Eala in Front of Passionate Filipino Fans: “Great for the Sport”

Coco Gauff, Alexandra Eala (Image via XWe Are Tennis, SK)

In Short
  • Coco Gauff anticipates a challenging match against Alexandra Eala due to the support of passionate Filipino fans.
  • Eala has previously achieved significant victories, including defeating top players in WTA 1000 events.
  • This match marks the first career meeting between Gauff and Eala, both of whom are young and rising stars in tennis.

Coco Gauff understands that Thursday’s Dubai Tennis Championships quarterfinal match wouldn’t be an easy affair because of the crowd. Gauff had always been the crowd favorite whenever she stepped onto the court, but this time, it will be different.

Legions of passionate Filipino fans will be flocking to the Center Court at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre to support Alexandra Eala. Wells, approximately 450,000 Filipinos (21 percent of the population) live in Dubai.

And Filipino fans were there when Gauff, after coming from a set down, saved three match points to defeat Elise Mertens 2-6, 7-6(9), 6-3 in the round of 16. Eala was set to play her third-round match against Sorana Cirstea (whom she defeated 7-5, 6-4) after Gauff’s win on the same court.

I know you guys are probably here for Alex, so I’m sorry to make you wait! If I’m not mistaken, I think some of you guys are cheering for me, so I appreciate it a lot.

Coco Gauff said during her on-court interview

Gauff also admitted that she is expecting a “tough match” because of the crowd as well as Eala’s previous top 10 wins. In the second round of this tournament, Eala beat two-time Grand Slam singles finalist Jasmine Paolini.

I mean, I played a couple people in their home…well, crowds are mainly for them. Jasmine in Rome, [Lois] Boisson in Roland Garros. It won’t be the first time. I don’t know. I feel like it’s great for the sport to have this atmosphere. It’s very fun, regardless if the crowd is for you or not.

Coco Gauff added

Eala made history at the Miami Open last year, knocking out former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, 2025 Australian Open winner Madison Keys, and six-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek en route to her defeat to Jessica Pegula in the semifinals, becoming the first player from the Philippines to make the last four of a WTA 1000 event.

Alexandra Eala on what people forget about Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff will be clashing with Alexandra Eala for the first time in her career. After her third-round win, the 20-year-old reminded everyone that Gauff is just a year older than her.

Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff (via Punto de Break)

Honestly, I don’t know. I think that I’m on a good path, and if I continue like this, the next match will be great. I’m looking forward to it. Coco is such an amazing person, and we tend to forget that she’s just a year older than me! But she’s a great role model for so many, so I’m really excited for that match.

Alexandra Eala said during her on-court interview

Eala has made the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament for the second time. Gauff, on the other hand, has already added three titles of this level to her trophy cabinet.

She won the 2023 Cincinnati Open, the 2024 China Open, and the 2025 Wuhan Open. The two-time Grand Slam singles champion also made the finals of two more WTA 1000 events, both last year, at the Madrid Open and the Italian Open.

Eala has so far featured in just one tour-level final: at the 2025 Eastbourne International, where Maya Joint defeated her. Gauff has so far featured in 14 singles finals, winning 11 titles, but has yet to win a trophy this year. She won two titles and lost the same number of finals last year.

The 21-year-old lost to Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals of this year’s Australian Open and to Elisabetta Cocciaretto in her opening round of the Qatar Open. In Dubai, she has made the semifinals just once, in 2023. Last year, her run ended in the second round.

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