Serve In Shambles: Coco Gauff Registers FOUR Double Faults In A Row -- But Seals Win | WATCH

Last Updated:February 19, 2026, 19:20 IST

Coco Gauff tallied 28 double faults at Dubai 2026, a WTA event record, yet survived chaotic matches to reach the quarterfinals, next facing Alexandra Eala.

Coco Gauff has rewritten the wrong kind of record book in Dubai.

After receiving a first-round bye, the third seed opened with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Anna Kalinskaya, but not without turbulence. Gauff struck 12 double faults in that match alone.

Things got even messier in round two.

Against Belgium’s Elise Mertens, the reigning French Open champion racked up 16 more double faults, bringing her tournament tally to 28 across just two matches: a 2026 single-tournament high.

She also sprayed 63 unforced errors and even reeled off four consecutive double faults during one alarming stretch.

Yet somehow, she still won.

Gauff clawed back from a set down and saved three match points to beat Mertens 2-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3. It wasn’t pretty. It was pure survival.

“The whole match felt like it wasn’t going my way," Gauff said on court. “It wasn’t the best, but I just tried to stay in it, and I did fight for every point. I’m happy I was able to get the result today.

“Elise is a great player, so I just had to stay settled. I knew I could win; it was just (a matter) if I could find my game. And I did a little bit at times, and sometimes I didn’t, but it’s OK."

Living on the Edge

If this feels familiar, that’s because it is. Gauff has built a reputation for escaping chaos. In Montreal last year, she beat Danielle Collins despite committing 74 unforced errors, including 23 double faults.

Coming into Dubai, the world No. 4 had already piled up 55 double faults across 10 matches in 2026. Add the 28 in Dubai, and she now sits at 83 for the season.

Wild? Yes. Effective? Somehow, also yes.

Next up: a quarterfinal clash with the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala.

News sports tennis Serve In Shambles: Coco Gauff Registers FOUR Double Faults In A Row -- But Seals Win | WATCH

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