It’s safe to say 2026 has not been Coco Gauff’s year so far. Following a tame surrender in the Australian Open quarterfinals, where she lost to Elina Svitolina in a one-sided straight-sets victory, which was also further compounded by the backlash she received following a racquet smash in the corridors, she would have been hoping to turn the page soon. That opportunity came with the commencement of the Doha Masters 1000 event. Her first match put her up against Elisabetta Cocciaretto, a player 52 places below her in the WTA rankings, against whom she held a 3-0 head-to-head record since turning pro–a player she was expected to beat easily. However, in keeping with the theme of the American’s year so far, what unfolded was another poor showing from the 21-year-old, who succumbed to the spirited Italian.
There’s no doubt this is a damaging defeat, occurring in a tournament she would no doubt have been looking to impress in. Her performance and the manner of the defeat against a player who had not previously taken a set off her in their three previous matches will certainly raise questions about whether she is still battling the effects of the disappointment at the Australian Open. There have also been questions recently about her status as an elite player, and those arguments will only be exacerbated by this showing. There is no doubting that at her best, she can go against and beat the very best players, no less emphasied by her two Grand Slams on two different surfaces. However, she appears to be struggling with consistency, which has been the hallmark of the very best players. This defeat comes on the back of another defeat yesterday, this time playing doubles alongside Victoria Mboko, again in straight sets.
She must now find herself alongside her coaches, Jean-Christophe Faurel and Gavin MacMillan, having to go back to the drawing board to find solutions and find them fast. Fortunately, she will not have to wait long before another opportunity comes for her to draw a line across what has been a torrid last few weeks, with the Dubai Tennis Championship scheduled to commence in just a few days. It remains to be seen which Coco Gauff turns up, but matches there now certainly feels like must-wins for her.
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