Coco Gauff Advances in Dubai, Seeking Return to Form

Coco Gauff secured a spot in the third round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Anna Kalinskaya on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The win avenges a previous loss to Kalinskaya in Dubai in 2024.

Gauff Overcomes Early Challenges

The No. 3 seed faced a tough challenge from Kalinskaya, who led in both sets. Gauff had to come from behind, overcoming breaks in both sets to secure the straight-sets win. Kalinskaya received a medical timeout for treatment on her left leg even as trailing 4-3 in the first set, but was unable to fully recover.

A Match Marked by Errors

The match was characterized by a high number of unforced errors from both players. Kalinskaya finished with 45 unforced errors compared to Gauff’s 33. Gauff also struggled with her serve, committing 12 double faults. Despite the errors, Gauff demonstrated strong defensive play, including a notable sliced backhand winner.

Gauff on Finding Her Game

“It wasn’t the prettiest win but it was enough today,” Gauff said after the match. She acknowledged the windy conditions contributed to the inconsistency of play for both competitors. Gauff described the victory as a “confidence boost” following recent losses in Doha to Elisabetta Cocciaretto and in the Australian Open quarterfinals to Elina Svitolina.

“Just trying to find form again, which is tough,” Gauff stated. “Obviously, Anna’s a tough opponent. She’s beaten some quality players, she beat me here a couple of years ago. I’m happy with how today went. Winning when you’re not playing your best is what I’m most proud of.”

Next Round Matchup

Gauff will next face Elise Mertens, who advanced with a dominant 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 14 seed Emma Navarro. Gauff holds a 4-0 head-to-head record against Mertens, including two wins on hard courts.