Coco Gauff and Alexandra Eala are gearing up to face each other at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Gauff secured her spot in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, coming from behind to beat Elise Mertens 2-6, 7-6, 6-3.
It wasn’t an easy win for Gauff, who had to save three match points before turning things around and closing out the match.
Alexandra Eala followed later in the day with a straight-sets win over Sorana Cirstea, taking it 7-6, 6-4 to move into the quarter-finals as well.
This won’t be their first meeting on tour. They also played together in doubles at the Italian Open a year ago.
Alexandra Eala is learning to manage the spotlight that’s come her way
Gauff was asked after her third-round win at the 2025 Italian Open about who initiated their doubles pairing, and she confirmed it was Eala who had reached out to play together.
One journalist followed up by asking Gauff how much Eala’s recent surge in attention reminded her of what she experienced early in her own career.
Gauff said: “She seems to be handling it super well. There are ups and downs in the sport, but you realise that the media is there to kind of paint that story and make it more interesting, but that shouldn’t be added pressure or anything like that.
“She seems chill. She seems like she’s working hard, so I don’t have any advice for her just because she seems relaxed. And then for me…”
“The only thing I did tell her was that doubles helped me a lot in that space, having some time on court where it’s a little less stressful. So I encouraged her to play when she could.”
Eala has quickly become one of tennis’s most recognisable names, drawing crowds wherever she plays around the world.
The Filipino star has handled the increased attention well, embracing her rise rather than feeling overwhelmed by it. Her ability to stay composed under growing pressure has become one of the standout qualities of her young career.
Big chance for Eala against Gauff
With Coco Gauff’s form far from reliable at the moment, Alex Eala has a real chance to make her second WTA 1000 semi-final.
Eala has been steady all week, while Gauff has looked shaky at times and had to fight hard just to get this far in Dubai.
Looking back at her match against Elise Mertens, the numbers tell the story: 16 double faults and just 43 per cent of first serves going in.
Eala, on the other hand, has been strong on serve all tournament. She’s also been more consistent from the baseline than usual, which could play a big part in this match-up.
But despite those issues on serve, Gauff is still one of the toughest players out there. She never gives up on a point and is always tough to put away.
If Eala can keep hitting cleanly and stay solid from the back of the court, she’s got every chance of taking advantage. That consistency could be what tips this one in her favour.
Read more: