Gauff's Shock Exit: Swiatek Advances in Doha

Gauff falls short in Qatar

Coco Gauff suffered a surprise second-round exit from the WTA 1000 event in Doha on Tuesday, losing in straight sets to Italian lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto. Iga Swiatek brushes aside Janice Tjen 6-0, 6-3, and sets up a clash with Daria Kasatkina in the last 16 of the Qatar Open.

Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked world number 57, credited her friend Sofia Goggia...

Coco Gauff's Qatar Open run ended abruptly in the second round, losing 6-4, 6-2 to Italian lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto. This shocking defeat marks Gauff's third consecutive second-round exit in Doha, despite reaching the quarterfinals in her first two appearances.

Gauff's struggles were evident in her serve, which Cocciaretto exploited relentlessly, winning 15 of 20 points on Gauff's second serve. Meanwhile, top seeds Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina sailed through to the last 16, with Swiatek brushing aside Janice Tjen 6-0, 6-3 and Rybakina beating Wang Xinyu 6-2, 6-4.

Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina had smooth sailing into the last 16 of the tournament, unlike some others. Swiatek, the top seed, and Rybakina, the newly-crowned Australian Open champion, didn't face any major issues.

American player Coco Gauff, who had a first-round bye, was knocked out in her opening match, a repeat of last year's performance. Meanwhile, Cocciaretto secured a spot in the next round against Ann Li, marking her third win against a top-10-ranked opponent.

Lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto takes out Coco Gauff in Doha 😱 👏 #QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/VGPQ1ajpmb

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 10, 2026

Elisabetta Cocciaretto, ranked world number 57, credited her friend Sofia Goggia, the Italian skier who won bronze in the women's downhill event at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, as her inspiration for defeating Coco Gauff in Doha.

Cocciaretto, who had been watching Goggia's downhill skiing races, said Goggia's performance gave her a boost, and she's been getting advice from her friend on managing the pressures of sports. Cocciaretto's win marked her third Top 10 victory, and she's now advancing to the last 16 of the WTA 1000 event.

“We always send messages and FaceTime to talk about our sports and how you manage some things,” she said of Goggia. “She gives me a lot of advice...

“I love how they (skiers) approach the sport. They have fear of nothing. They're focused a lot, and they put themselves after everything.”

Maria Sakkari defeated Jasmine Paolini 6-4, 6-2, setting up a clash with Varvara Gracheva in the last 16. Sakkari, a former world number three, looked comfortable in her win.

Jelena Ostapenko, the former French Open champion, also won 6-4, 6-2 against Ekaterina Alexandrova. 

Swiatek Cruises Past Tjen, Faces Kasatkina

Iga Swiatek dominated Janice Tjen 6-0, 6-3, dropping just eight points in the first set. The six-time Grand Slam winner hasn't lost a set to Daria Kasatkina in their last six meetings, and will face her next for a quarter-final spot. 

Swiatek starts strong 🙌@iga_swiatek moves into the Round of 16 in straight sets and begins her quest for a fourth title in Doha! #QatarTotalEnergiesOpen pic.twitter.com/mIWn5owAVR

— wta (@WTA) February 10, 2026

“She can come to the match feeling that she has nothing to lose,” said Swiatek of facing Kasatkina.

“There are different ways the match can go, and I wouldn't say that focusing on the last results gives a lot. I'd rather stay ready for the challenge and not really think about the previous ones.”

Rybakina Rolls On, Faces Zheng

Elena Rybakina kept her good form going, beating Wang Xinyu 6-2, 6-4. Next up, she faces China's Zheng Qinwen, whom she's yet to beat this season. Their last meeting was a WTA Finals group-stage loss for Rybakina.

Australian Open semi-finalist Elina Svitolina and Canadian star Victoria Mboko also made it to the third round.