Coco Gauff heads to the Qatar Open determined to reset after her Australian Open setback, where Elina Svitolina swept her aside in a one-sided quarterfinal. While chasing redemption in singles, the American star has added a fresh twist to her campaign, surprisingly joining forces with last year’s Canadian Open champion for doubles.

For the upcoming Qatar TotalEnergies Open, Coco Gauff has partnered with 2025 WTA Newcomer of the Year Victoria Mboko, one of last season’s biggest breakout stars.

The partnership came together unexpectedly. Both players had initially planned to play with different partners. However, things changed just before the draw.

“We were actually both entered with two other players,” Mboko told Tennis Channel on Saturday. “But unfortunately, neither of us was able to make it into the draw with our original partners. So, we were like, ‘Wanna play?’ and so, it just came about. But it’s pretty cool!”

For both players, singles remains the main priority. Their doubles appearances have been limited in recent months. The pairing is more of an opportunity than a long-term plan.

Gauff, a former doubles world No. 1, has reduced her doubles schedule. Her last appearance came at the 2025 Canadian Open in August. She won the title there with McCartney Kessler.

Mboko is also not a regular doubles player. She partnered Iva Jovic at the Australian Open earlier this year. The pair reached the second round before losing to eventual champions Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang.

Despite their different experience levels, the age gap between them is small. Gauff is 21 years old. However, she has been a regular presence on the Tour since 2019.

She made her breakthrough at just 15. That year, she reached the fourth round at Wimbledon. Along the way, she defeated five-time champion Venus Williams.

Mboko’s rise has been more recent but equally impressive. She burst onto the scene at the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montréal last summer. The Canadian won her first WTA title there, which was also a WTA 1000 event.

Her run included major upsets. She defeated Elena Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, and even Gauff. She later added another title in Hong Kong and reached the second week of the 2026 Australian Open.

In Doha, Gauff and Mboko will face Cristina Bucșa and Nicole Melichar-Martinez in the first round. They have avoided seeded teams early. If they advance, they will meet the winners of Siegemund/Zvonareva or the Kichenok sisters.

The pair’s section is still challenging. Top seeds Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani are in the same quarter. Jelena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei are also part of the section.

As Gauff prepares for both singles and doubles in Qatar, expectations will be high. Her performance in the singles draw will be closely watched. The tournament could be an important step in her bounce-back campaign.

Coco Gauff’s inconsistent history at the Qatar Open

There are very few tournaments where Coco Gauff has struggled. However, the Qatar Open has been a difficult event for the American. Her recent record in singles has not been strong.

Gauff has lost in her opening match in the last two editions. She was beaten by Marta Kostyuk and later by Kateřina Siniaková. These early exits have affected her overall record in Doha.

Her last win at the event came in 2023. She defeated Petra Kvitová in the early round. However, she then lost her next match to Veronika Kudermetova in three sets.

Overall, Gauff has gone deep only once in singles. Her best result is a quarter-final appearance. That remains her only run to the last eight in Qatar.

During that campaign, she produced several strong wins. She defeated Shelby Rogers, Caroline Garcia, and Paula Badosa. Her run ended with a loss to Maria Sakkari in the quarter-finals.

This year, Gauff has entered the tournament as the fourth seed. She received a first-round bye. As a result, she will start her campaign in the Round of 32.

Her opponent will be decided soon. She will face the winner between wild card Elsa Jacquemot and McCartney Kessler. The match will determine her early momentum.

While singles have been challenging, doubles have been a different story. Gauff won the Qatar doubles title in 2022 with Jessica Pegula. They defeated Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in the final.

The pair defended their title again in 2023. They beat Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jeļena Ostapenko. 

Now, with the Round of 32 starting soon, it will be interesting to see if Gauff can finally produce a deep singles run in Doha.