Coco Gauff defeated Alex Eala in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. IMAGO / SOPA Images

Coco Gauff Shares Classy Message After Beating Alex Eala

Originally posted on Serve on SI | By Pat Benson | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 12:43 PM ET

Coco Gauff soundly defeated Alex Eala in the quarterfinal of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Thursday: 6-0, 6-2. The importance of the match was not lost on Gauff.

The 21-year-old regularly speaks with a level of wisdom and knowledge that belies her age. Gauff has recognized what Eala means to tennis fans around the world. Last year was the breakout season for the Filipina, and now she looks to take down more top-ranked stars.

Gauff was asked about crowd support for Eala, and she initially joked, "Whenever you guys were cheering for Alex, I was pretending it was my name. I think it helped me a lot. If you can't beat them, you gotta join them."

Coco Gauff after beating Alex Eala to reach Dubai SF:

“Whenever you guys were cheering for Alex I was pretending it was my name. I think it helped me a lot. If you can’t beat em, you gotta join em” pic.twitter.com/Aw0kpf9ny9
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 19, 2026

Gauff then proceeded to offer a serious message to Eala's fans in the stands and watching in the Philippines. "I'd like to thank Alex for bringing a new demographic to the sport," said Gauff with a smile."

"I know sometimes it's tough when you're playing a 'home crowd,' but I think it's great for the sport, so keep being enthusiastic and keep rooting for your player."

All about growing the game! @CocoGauff | #DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/iixfPkoA21
— wta (@WTA) February 19, 2026

Today is not the first time Gauff has shouted out to Eala's fans. Yesterday, her Round of 16 Match against Elise Mertens ran long. Gauff joked in her on-court interview, "I know you guys are probably here for Alex, so I'm sorry to make you wait. If I'm not mistaken, I think some of you guys are cheering for me, so I appreciate it a lot."

Coco Gauff to the Alex Eala fans after her win over Mertens in Dubai

“I know you guys are probably here for Alex so I’m sorry to make you wait. If I’m not mistaken I think some of you guys are cheering for me so I appreciate it a lot” pic.twitter.com/C1eIVKv4ww
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 18, 2026

Currently, Eala is the WTA world No. 47 with a singles record of 10-6 with zero titles. The 20-year-old will have some time off before she competes in the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. Meanwhile, Gauff is world No. 4 with a singles record of 10-3. She will face either the surging Antonia Ruzic or the seventh-seeded Elina Svitolina in the semifinal tomorrow.

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships run from Feb. 15-21. The hard-court outdoor tournament has a grand prize payout of $4,088,211. Last year, Mirra Andreeva won the Masters 1000 event as part of her breakout spring on the WTA Tour.

However, the Dubai Masters 1000 has been defined by walkovers and withdrawals this year. Gauff has a clear shot at winning her first Masters 1000 since the Wuhan Open last fall.

This article first appeared on Serve on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: