Svitolina Beats Gauff in Epic Three-Hour Battle

Svitolina holds her nerve to beat Gauff

Elina Svitolina defeats Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 in Dubai Tennis Championships semi-final. Gauff saves 4 match points but falls short against Svitolina.

“It's really special to be in the final again after a few years. Coco is such a big fighter. I was expecting her to come back in the match...”

Elina Svitolina advanced to the Dubai Tennis Championships final with a thrilling 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 win over Coco Gauff, marking her second consecutive victory over the American in a grueling three-hour match. Svitolina, who previously beat Gauff in straight sets at the Australian Open quarterfinals last month, will now face Jessica Pegula in the final.

Svitolina praised Gauff's fighting spirit, saying, “Coco is such a big fighter, I was expecting she would come back in the match. She won so many big battles, big tournaments. I had to keep fighting, keep pushing.” Gauff struggled with her serve, committing 12 double faults, and expressed frustration with her coach, saying, “I've been doing everything you've wanted for the last 6 months, and it's not getting any better.”

Coco Gauff, the two-time Grand Slam champion, faced a tough start against Elina Svitolina, struggling with double faults throughout the opening set. Svitolina capitalized on Gauff's mistakes, breaking decisively to take the first set 6-4.

Gauff bounced back in the second set, showcasing her trademark fighting spirit to force a tiebreak against Svitolina. Despite her struggles with serving, Gauff's resilience kept her in the match, pushing it to a thrilling tiebreak.

Coco Gauff saved four match points in a breathtaking 15-13 tiebreak thriller, keeping her hopes alive and electrifying the Dubai crowd. The American's incredible resilience and determination had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

The momentum swung back and forth in the decider, with the ninth game proving pivotal as it repeatedly went to deuce. Elina Svitolina eventually held her nerve to edge ahead 5-4, before serving out the match to seal a hard-fought victory. Svitolina's experience and skill ultimately paid off in the thrilling encounter.

“I'm speechless after that fight. I was really trying to put myself out there, playing as if there was no tomorrow,” ⁠Svitolina said.

“It's really special to be in the final again after a few years. Coco is such a big fighter. I was expecting her to come back in the match. She's won so many big tournaments. I'm very pleased with the fight and the ‌win,”

she added.

WHAT 👏 A 👏 MATCH 👏

Elina Svitolina gives her sweat, screams & cheers to advance to her third final in Dubai after defeating Gauff in an epic battle.#DDFTennis pic.twitter.com/IKw4guwcI3

— wta (@WTA) February 20, 2026

Jessica Pegula came back from a first-set deficit to defeat fellow American Amanda Anisimova 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the Dubai Tennis Championships semi-finals. Anisimova dominated the first set, winning it 6-1 in under 30 minutes, but Pegula fought back, breaking Anisimova three times in a row to win the second set. Pegula's experience and tactical adjustments ultimately paid off, securing her spot in the final.