DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 19, 2026

Coco Gauff

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/A. Eala

6-0, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Straight into questions for Coco.

Q. What was your game plan coming into this match?

COCO GAUFF: Honestly, just trying not to let her dictate so much, which it was weird because I felt like I didn't play as aggressive today, but it ended up working.

Yeah, I think she's a tough player. Honestly, I wasn't too focused on the strategy today, honestly at all this week, more so trying to focus and find my form again.

My team didn't really -- obviously, we had some strategy against her, but it was more so just trying to be comfortable with my own game.

Q. You already knew how it was going to be with the crowd. How did you manage it when you were actually in it?

COCO GAUFF: Honestly, I feel like they were a bit nicer to me today than maybe other players. I don't know if it's because we played doubles before or maybe because of the scoreline.

I think in the previous matches I saw they were more cheering in between serves. I don't know. They didn't do that much today. I'll take it. I appreciate the silent support. I think that was the difference (smiling).

No, I think when I played Boisson at French Open, I think that prepped me. Then Jasmine in Rome I think was the worst I've experienced with the crowd. So I've had those experiences. I think it helped me today.

Q. You were fully focused from the beginning?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, definitely. I think that was the main thing, just to focus on my side of the game, know she's going to hit some great shots. I knew the crowd would be with her.

Yeah, I mean, it was pretty solid. She missed a couple close shots. I feel like if they would have went in, it maybe could have been a different scoreline. Overall that's tennis.

Yeah, I'll learn from today, how to do better if we play again soon.

Q. You're waiting on who you're going to be playing. If Svitolina were to be here, you played her last month, how much value do you put into a match that is in different conditions, different court? And if you could talk about playing Ruzic.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, Elina for me in Australia, I kind of just put that behind. I felt like, yeah, she played well that match, she definitely did, but I also feel like I beat myself up a little bit that match. I think it was a combination of both. Yeah, it's not easy. Kudos to her.

So yeah, I think for me, I can learn from that when I'm maybe starting the match off slow, how to combat that. I did learn from it. I feel like these last couple matches I haven't started off the best and was able to do that.

Yeah, if I were to play Ruzic, honestly I haven't seen much of her play. I only watched a little bit against Elena. She's a player I think. I don't think her ranking maybe reflects where her game is at right now. She's definitely going to be someone that will climb up the rankings and play some more good tennis.

It will be a tough match for me either way.

Q. I'm sure you've been in the situation before, you had 16 double-faults, but managed to make it through. The turnaround is real quick. What do you do? Do you actually work on your serve? There's not much time.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, the first match after it was day, so I did hit some serves. Yesterday, it was just too long. We thought it would be better just to rest.

I don't know how I'm feeling now. I'll see when I get off from here if I'm going to hit some more serves. I mean, it wasn't the best today. I'm definitely not happy with it. I'm happy with that last game, I was able to close out on my serve. I decided to take a little bit off, just get it in the court, be more confident in my groundstroke game.

I definitely think the more I can win games like that, the more confidence, so it will help me in the future.

Q. (Question regarding the privacy discussion stemming from the Australian Open.)

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I definitely do think I didn't expect it to reach -- I knew it might circulate in tennis news. I felt like everywhere I was scrolling, it was me on there.

I mean, at least I felt people weren't being too rude to me about it. It was more starting the conversation. I felt it's a conversation that has been on tour, maybe not tour, but at Slams for years, specifically Australian Open. I know Jess has spoke that Maddie has been trying for years. I know the players council has been trying for a while. So it is unfortunate it took that.

Yeah, I felt like this Australian Open, it was just too much. There were people zooming in on people's phones. It was just a lot. So I definitely think the conversation should be had.

On top of that, there aren't really many signs around. I think there should be signs. In this tournament I noticed signs 'there's broadcast in this area'. That's helpful for us, because then I know where I need to go if I don't want to be filmed.

Yeah, it was even as little as like when I'm praying with my dad before the matches, I had to ask someone to not record. We do that before every match.

I definitely think it's a conversation I would like specifically Australian Open to maybe respond to. My agency did send an email on my behalf to all the slams. They all responded pretty well. But it was really the Australian Open the only one I felt like it was too much. Sorry, I'm talking a lot. I'm glad the conversation started. We'll see what changes will be made next year.

Q. In your post match on court, did you thank Alex for bringing a new demographic to the sport?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, yeah, I definitely did. I know there's been conversations online about maybe the enthusiasm of some of the fans. My perspective today, obviously it was a different scoreline, so maybe it caused it, but I thought it was fun to play in.

I don't know, I think tennis needs more of this. Yeah, I think it's great just to see a nation so proud of someone, especially a nation that's pretty underrepresented in this sport. I think it's pretty cool to see.

I also liked, even at 6-0, 4-1 or 4-0 something, she was smiling. I think that's something that you can't buy that. Yeah, I see why people want to root for her. I root for her, when I'm not playing her, of course.