COCO Gauff lived up to her status as world No. 4, ending Alexandra Eala’s run with a 6-0, 6-2 victory in the WTA 1000 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarterfinals early Friday morning (PH time) in the United Arab Emirates.
The third-seeded American needed only one hour and seven minutes to beat the Filipino star, who ousted sixth seed Jasmine Paolini of Italy, 6-1, 7-6 (5), in the second round.
Gauff will face No. 7 seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the semifinals. Svitolina outlasted Antonia Ruzic of Croatia, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, in their quarterfinal clash.
Eala showed early nerves and dropped her opening service game, setting the tone for a tough start, according to a Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship (DDFTC) report.
Although Gauff committed the first of her three double faults in the opening set, the 20-year-old Filipina was unable to capitalize, misfiring on key points with shots into the net and beyond the baseline.
In the third game, Eala saved a breakpoint but faltered at deuce with a wide volley, allowing Gauff to seize the advantage and claim the next point for a 3-0 lead.
Despite the one-sided opening set, the Filipino supporters remained steadfast. Tournament organizers noted that Filipino fans had followed Eala passionately throughout the week in the emirate, and their energy never waned against Gauff.
Posters and handmade signs filled the stands — including one that read “UAE: United for Alex Eala” — and even as she stared at a first-set shutout, the crowd cheered every point in full voice.
Their support, however, could not shift the momentum.
Gauff stayed in control in the second set, breaking serve twice more to stretch her run to 10 straight games, the DDFTC reported.
Eala finally got on the board at 4-1 after a long, grueling rally that had both players moving from the baseline to the net and back again, drawing loud cheers from the crowd. When Eala saw her zero change to a one on the scoreboard, she raised her arm in celebration, sending the fans into a frenzy.
Riding the momentum, the world No. 47 broke serve to close the gap to 2-4, but any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed. Gauff responded with a break of her own and held serve to regain full control of the match.
“I could have served a little better, but I made it in when it mattered,” Gauff said, as quoted by DDFTC. “Alex is a tough competitor. Even when I was up, I knew she could come back at any given moment. I’ve seen her do it before.”
Jessica Pegula of the United States, seeded fourth, also advanced after defeating No. 12 seed Clara Tauson of Denmark, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Pegula, ranked No. 5 in the world, will battle second-seeded compatriot Amanda Anisimova, who conquered fifth seed Mirra Andreeva of Russia, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4).
In doubles, Laura Siegemund of Germany and Vera Zvonareva toppled No. 7 seeds Storm Hunter of Australia and Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (4), 6-4, to reach the Final Four.
They will face Romanians Jaqueline Cristian and Elena-Gabriela Ruse, who defeated Tauson and Chan Hao-Ching of Chinese Taipei 3-6, 6-2, 10-8.
Fourth seeds Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunić of Serbia won over Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine and Desirae Krawczyk of the US, 6-1, 4-6, 10-6, to advance to the semis against No. 5 seeds Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Luisa Stefani
of Brazil.
Dabrowski and Stefani survived Guiliana Olmos of Mexico and Pegula, 6-2, 4-6, 14-12. / PNA with DDFTC report