Coco Gauff and Alexandra Eala have formed an exciting doubles partnership at the Rome Open, and it all started with a direct message. The American star revealed that Eala reached out to her on Instagram, asking if she wanted to play together. Without hesitation, Gauff agreed, leading to an unexpected but promising collaboration.
Gauff revealed:
She DM’d me on Instagram. She slid in my DMs and asked me to play. I was like, “Sure, why not?” We really didn’t know each other, honestly, before Madrid. I said hi to her for the first time in Madrid or maybe Miami, we may have briefly said hello. I figured she would be nice so I was just hoping she would be, you know?
Obviously, she’s such a nice person. When there’s people finally my age on tour, I’m glad to interact. For me, it was a good opportunity to play doubles but also have a relaxed vibe with another player. I’m super happy to play with her, and obviously she’s a killer in doubles: two junior Slams and probably some future ones too.”
Despite not knowing each other well before the tournament, the duo quickly found their rhythm on the court. Gauff, who has focused primarily on singles this season, welcomed the opportunity to play doubles with Eala, a rising talent who has already made waves in the WTA circuit. Their chemistry was evident in their first-round victory, where they dominated their opponents with a strong performance.
Gauff expressed her excitement about teaming up with Eala, praising her skills and positive attitude. She noted that having someone her age on tour made the experience even more enjoyable. Eala, who has won two junior Grand Slam titles in doubles, has proven to be a formidable partner, and their collaboration has sparked interest among fans.
As they continue their campaign in Rome, the duo looks forward to building on their success and making a deep run in the tournament. Their partnership, born from a simple message, is a reminder of how connections in the tennis world can lead to unexpected and thrilling opportunities.
Gauff in Rome, ranking, and results in 2025
Now the world no.3, Gauff has achieved a composed 21-7 record in 2025. Coco is playing in Rome where she bested the world no.156 Victoria Mboko 3-6 6-2 6-1 and the world no.32 Magda Linette 7-5 6-3.
Cori Gauff will play the world no.49 Emma Raducanu in the 4th round on Monday at 3:00 pm on GRAND STAND ARENA. The head to head is 1-0 for Gauff.
Coco has won 1 title in 2025 in Australia. Coco reached the final in Madrid (Mutua Madrid Open).
Coco won 10 titles in her career: 7 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 2 on indoor courts. (See the list of her titles)
Alexandra Eala in 2025
At the moment ranked no.70 (career-high), the Filipino played her last match on the 7th of May when she lost to world no.27 Marta Kostyuk 6-0 6-1 in the 1st round in Rome (draw).
This year the Filipino has managed to achieve an overall 16-11 win-loss record. Alexandra Eala’s most significant accomplishment of the year was reaching the semifinal in the Canberra and Miami.
Cori Gauff and Alexandra Eala have never faced off.
