After a disappointing Australian Open run, Coco Gauff arrived in Doha seeking redemption. The American, who fell 6-1, 6-2 to Elina Svitolina in a one-sided Melbourne quarterfinal, struggled to reset her momentum. And her difficult stretch continued at the Qatar Open, where an early first-round exit dealt another blow to her campaign.

Coco Gauff lost to 25-year-old Elisabetta Cocciaretto in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2. The American struggled on serve, hitting three double faults and winning 31 service points. In contrast, the Italian controlled the match with 45 service points won and a strong 50% success rate on her second serve points won.

After the win, Cocciaretto shared that her focus was slightly different this week: “I think this week it’s a bit different for us in Italy. Now I’m more focused on the Winter Olympics than on the tournament. Maybe cheering for the Italian athletes is the key, that’s why I’m playing better, maybe!”

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff suffered another early exit in Doha. 

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The American fought hard in the opening set. However, the second set slipped away quickly. The world no. 57 broke her serve three times and sealed the match in just over 90 minutes.

The result was surprising. Gauff had never dropped a set to the Italian in their previous three meetings. This was also Cocciaretto’s first win over her in four attempts.

After the match, the 25-year-old was asked about beating another top player. She had earlier defeated Jessica Pegula at Wimbledon and now added world No. 5 Gauff to her list.

“It’s an honor to be able to play such a great example for me. She’s a really great player and a really great person. It was an honor to share the court with her today. I’m really happy to be in the next round here in Doha,” she said,

The loss came despite Gauff’s clear intentions before the tournament. Ahead of her first-round match, she spoke about improving her approach on court:

“I think I want to try to be a bit more aggressive. I think in my last match, I was too passive, and I let Elina kind of take over. I want to be more aggressive here. I thought I did well in my previous matches at the Australian Open, but I think I lost it in that match. So I think just wanting to capitalize on that.”

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The disappointment grew further when Gauff also suffered another setback in the doubles event, adding to a difficult Doha campaign.

Gauff and Mboko’s Qatar Open doubles hopes end early

Coco Gauff began her Qatar Open campaign with a fresh doubles partnership. She teamed up with rising Canadian Victoria Mboko for the event. The duo looked eager to make an impact together. However, their journey ended after just one match.

Gauff and Mboko faced Cristina Bucsa and Nicole Melichar-Martinez. It turned into a fierce three-set battle. The match ended 4-6, 6-4, 11-9 in favor of their opponents.

This partnership was not planned in advance. Both players wanted to compete in doubles. But their regular partners were not in the Middle East. So they decided to join forces for the tournament.

The new pair showed good chemistry from the start. They played with energy and confidence. Early coordination gave them momentum on court.

The opening set stayed tight for most of the time. Gauff and Mboko moved ahead at 5-4. A timely second break helped them close the set and take the lead.

The second set began with multiple breaks from both sides. Bucsa and Melichar-Martinez slowly found their rhythm. They edged ahead and managed to level the match.

Another exchange of breaks followed late in the set. But the Spanish-American pair held firm at the crucial moment. The contest moved into a deciding match tiebreak.

Gauff and Mboko started the tiebreak strongly. They raced into a 5-2 lead and looked in control. Their aggressive play kept the pressure on.

However, their opponents fought back. The score soon leveled at 6-6. The tension on the court continued to rise.

Gauff and Mboko responded with three straight points. They earned three match points and seemed close to victory. But the moment slipped away.

All three match points were missed. Bucsa and Melichar-Martinez seized the opportunity. They won five consecutive points to complete a dramatic comeback.

With these losses, Gauff suffered early exits in both singles and doubles. The American will now look to regroup. Her response in the upcoming tournament will be closely watched.