The “Yalla, Eala!” brigade showed up early, loud and proudly draped in Philippine flags at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Unfortunately for them, so did Coco Gauff—and she brought receipts.
Alex Eala’s rousing run in Dubai met a brisk reality check in the quarterfinals as the World No. 4 unleashed a 6-0, 6-2 masterclass that was as clinical as it was swift. The match lasted just long enough for hope to flicker, but not quite long enough for it to catch fire.
Gauff, a Grand Slam champion and the tournament’s third seed, played like someone determined not to let decibel levels dictate destiny. Her serves boomed, her groundstrokes hugged the lines, and her passing shots zipped past Eala with unfriendly precision.
The American tennis star won six of nine break points, claimed the only ace of the match, and pocketed 55 of the 88 total points contested. Even her eight double faults felt less like errors and more like declarations of intent.
“I could have served a little bit better, but I made it in when it mattered,” Gauff said. “Alex is a tough competitor. And even when I was up, I knew that she could come back at any given moment. I’ve seen her do it before.”
Eala searched for her trademark spark, the comeback magic that had fueled earlier upsets. And for a brief moment in the 2nd set, it seemed possible.
But Gauff kept the door firmly shut. The usually thunderous, Filipino-heavy gallery was reduced to hopeful murmurs as the American conducted a lesson in controlled aggression.
Still, the story does not end in silence. Eala’s quarterfinal finish in a WTA 1000 event earns her USD98,500 and, maybe more importantly, 215 ranking points, a haul that could nudge her back toward her career-best territory and possibly into the top 35. That neighborhood comes with perks, including direct Grand Slam main draw entries.
Dubai may have dimmed the lights early, but Eala leaves with her ranking rising and her fan base louder than ever.
