Marta Kostyuk Stuns Coco Gauff in Doha, Encourages Fans to Revisit Their Rivalry
Marta Kostyuk pulled off a major upset at the Qatar Open, defeating No. 3 seed Coco Gauff 6-2, 7-5 in just 72 minutes to advance to the last 16.
Gauff, who had a first-round bye, struggled with 39 unforced errors and now finds herself on a three-match losing streak in Doha. The 20-year-old American has historically struggled at the event, now holding a 4-4 record across her four appearances.
Kostyuk’s First Hard Court Win Over Gauff
Heading into the match, Kostyuk trailed 1-3 in their head-to-head, with her only previous win coming on clay in Stuttgart last year. However, their past battles had been closely contested, with three sets going to tiebreaks.
This time, however, the Ukrainian dominated, breaking Gauff in the final game after the American double-faulted twice. After her victory, Kostyuk urged fans to revisit their past clashes, particularly their match in Stuttgart.
“Coco is an incredible fighter, we always have incredible matches. If you haven’t seen our match in Stuttgart, go on YouTube and watch it for sure,” Kostyuk said.
Kostyuk, ranked No. 21, had never made it past the second round in Doha before this year. She will now face either Magda Linette or Magdalena Frech for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Gauff Looking to Bounce Back in Dubai
Gauff, who started the season strong by leading the U.S. to a United Cup title and defeating Iga Swiatek, now finds herself in a rough patch. She reached the Australian Open quarterfinals, where she lost to Paula Badosa, and has not won a match since.
Next up, the world No. 3 heads to Dubai for the next WTA 1000 event, hoping to regain momentum and return to winning ways.
