Coco Gauff stormed into the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships quarterfinals after a gritty win over Elise Mertens and now braces for a high-voltage clash with crowd favorite Alexandra Eala. The American knows the atmosphere will be electric and the challenge intense. Yet Gauff embraces the moment, quietly acknowledging the unique pressure of facing a massively fan-backed opponent.

Coco Gauff knows the crowd will strongly back her opponent. After defeating Elise Mertens, Gauff addressed the fans with humor. “I know you guys are probably here for Alex, so I’m sorry to make you wait!” she said.

She also thanked those who supported her. “If I’m not mistaken, I think some of you guys are cheering for me, so I appreciate it a lot.”

Later, Gauff spoke about the value of passionate crowds. She said loyal fans, no matter who they support, create an atmosphere that is “great for the sport.”

She made it clear that the energy motivates her. “It’s very fun, regardless if the crowd is for you or not,” she said. Gauff’s confidence comes after a dramatic comeback win. She saved three match points to beat Mertens 2-6, 7-6(9), 6-3 in the third round.

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It was her first win from match point down in five years. During her on-court interview, she also acknowledged the growing crowd waiting for Eala’s match. Eala later delivered, defeating Sorana Cirstea 7-5, 6-4. The result set up a much-anticipated quarterfinal between the two players.

Gauff is usually a fan favorite around the world. However, this time she will likely be the underdog in crowd support. Dubai has a large Filipino community. More than 450,000 Filipino expatriates live in the city, making up over 20% of the population.

Across the United Arab Emirates, the number exceeds 700,000. Eala has already experienced similar support earlier this month in Abu Dhabi. The 20-year-old credited the fans after a 6-1, 7-6(5) upset of sixth seed Jasmine Paolini. “It’s really such a blessing to be able to play in those sorts of atmospheres,” Eala said.

She also spoke about her broader mission. “I am really privileged and thankful that I’m able to introduce kind of this new world or new sporting world, women’s tennis, to a new demographic. I think they’re really enjoying it. I hope that it would inspire people to take up racquets, young girls, and all women of all ages to take up sports.” 

Eala will now look to improve her record against Top 10 players to 4-2 as she faces Gauff, aiming for her first WTA 1000 semifinal since her breakout run at last year’s Miami Open. 

Her growing popularity has been evident as well, with the recent Australian Open witnessing huge crowd surges, where fans lined up just to watch their favorite star in action.

Australian Open scheduling error sparks chaos during Alexandra Eala match

Scheduling matches is never easy for tournament organizers. They must balance player needs, court space, and global broadcast demands. However, the Australian Open faced a major challenge with one decision this year. Alexandra Eala’s match against Alycia Parks was placed on Court 6.

Court 6 is known as Melbourne Park’s party court. It is a mid-sized venue and not designed for overwhelming crowd demand. The turnout quickly exceeded expectations. Melbourne is home to nearly 58,935 Filipino-born residents, and many came to support Eala.

Fans packed the court’s perimeter and filled the surrounding walkways. The atmosphere suggested demand far beyond the court’s capacity. Eala may still be new to many Australian fans. But within the global tennis community, her growing popularity is well recognized.

The queue to watch her match stretched across Melbourne Park. Hundreds of people lined up, hoping to witness her main-draw debut in person. The line extended toward Rod Laver Arena. Fans stood shoulder to shoulder under the afternoon sun, waiting patiently.

As match time approached, the situation became more intense. The crowd numbers soon reached into the thousands. Many spectators were unable to enter the court. They watched instead on outdoor big screens, where viewing areas were also completely full.

Australian tennis administrator Peter Johnston highlighted her appeal. “She is a huge draw and a breakout star. When she was playing in Hong Kong in October, we had queues of more than 100 metres long from local Filipinos wanting to see her,” Johnston said.

The reaction continued online after the match. One fan wrote, “If there’s a Filipino player in any sport, always expect the Filipino community to show up. This will be a learning curve for @AustralianOpen. Filipino player = high demand for ticket sales.” The official account replied, “We really appreciate your feedback. We will take it as a learning and come back strong next year. Thank you.”

With her fan base growing louder and stronger, the energy around Eala continues to rise. As she prepares for another big match, the question now is whether Coco Gauff can handle the pressure or if a crowd-backed Eala can produce another upset.