Coco Gauff Falls to Marta Kostyuk in Qatar Open First-Round Upset

 Marta Kostyuk secured a straight-sets victory over Coco Gauff at the Qatar Open.


Coco Gauff of the United States competed in her Round of 32 match against Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk at the WTA Qatar TotalEnergies Open 2025, held at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha on February 11.

The first Masters 1000 tournament of the WTA season began yesterday, and it has already delivered a major upset. On Tuesday, Kostyuk stunned Gauff with a straight-sets victory, 6-2, 7-5. The Ukrainian came out strong, using deep groundstrokes and smart court coverage to keep Gauff on the defensive. Despite her well-known speed and resilience, Gauff struggled to find her rhythm against Kostyuk’s aggressive play. Kostyuk’s efficiency on break points (5/9) and solid serving (66% on first serves, 75% on second serves) proved decisive.

Meanwhile, Gauff’s serve faltered, recording seven double faults and a 59% first-serve percentage, converting just 50% on her second serve. Although she secured a 4-2 lead in the second set, she was unable to maintain momentum as Kostyuk fought back. This victory marks a milestone for Kostyuk, ranked World No. 21, as she continues to cement her place among the WTA’s top competitors. It is her ninth career win over a top-10 player and her first against Gauff after three previous losses.

After the match, Kostyuk praised her opponent, saying, "Coco is an incredible fighter. We always have incredible matches. If you haven’t seen our matches, go on YouTube and watch them."

For Gauff, this is one of her toughest defeats since last year’s US Open. She ended 2024 on a strong note and reached the quarterfinals of the 2025 Australian Open last month.

Looking ahead, Kostyuk will face the winner of Magda Linette vs. Magdalena Frech in the Round of 16, with a potential quarterfinal matchup against either Paula Badosa or Leylah Fernandez.

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