At the 2026 Qatar TotalEnergies Open, Coco Gauff has stunned fans with an unexpected doubles partnership alongside Victoria Mboko, the 2025 WTA Newcomer of the Year. This surprising pairing emerged just before the tournament draw, reflecting a last-minute decision rather than a long-planned collaboration, as both players look to regroup following recent singles challenges.
Unexpected Doubles Partnership Forms Ahead of Qatar Tournament
After a tough quarterfinal defeat by Elina Svitolina at the Australian Open, Coco Gauff arrives in Doha aiming to reset her campaign with a renewed focus on singles. However, in doubles competition, she has joined forces with Victoria Mboko, last year’s Canadian Open champion and one of the biggest breakout stars on the WTA Tour. The two had initially entered the tournament with different partners but, due to unforeseen circumstances, neither made it into the doubles draw with their original teammates.
We were actually both entered with two other players,
Mboko said in an interview with 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!
The duo will face the seventh-seeded team of Cristina Bucșa from Spain and Nicole Melichar-Martinez from the United States in their opening match, presenting an immediate challenge in the tournament’s early stage.
Singles Remains Priority for Both Gauff and Mboko
While this doubles partnership is generating buzz, both Gauff and Mboko continue to prioritize their singles campaigns. Their doubles appearances have been sporadic in recent months, indicating this collaboration is more opportunistic than part of any long-term strategy. Gauff, a former world No. 1 in doubles, has significantly reduced her doubles schedule, with her last participation dating back to the 2025 Canadian Open, where she secured the doubles title alongside McCartney Kessler.
Victoria Mboko also has limited doubles experience. She partnered with Iva Jovic at the Australian Open earlier this year, reaching the second round before losing to the eventual champions Elise Mertens and Shuai Zhang.
Comparing Career Paths and Experience Levels
The age gap between the pair is minimal, with Gauff being 21 years old and Mboko close in age, yet their tour experience differs substantially. Gauff debuted on the professional circuit in 2019 and made an immediate impact by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon at just 15 years old, famously defeating five-time champion Venus Williams during that run. Mboko’s ascent has been more recent but equally notable; she burst onto the scene last summer at the Omnium Banque Nationale in Montréal by claiming her first WTA title, one of the prestigious WTA 1000 events.
Mboko’s Canadian Open victory included impressive wins over top players like Elena Rybakina, Naomi Osaka, and a previous encounter with Gauff. Following that, she continued her momentum by winning in Hong Kong and advancing to the second week of the 2026 Australian Open.
Doha Draw Offers Both Hurdles and Opportunities
In doubles competition at the Qatar Open, Gauff and Mboko’s first-round contest against BucÈ™a and Melichar-Martinez will test their chemistry as a new team. Should they advance, they would face one of two potential teams, either Laura Siegemund and Vera Zvonareva or the Kichenok sisters, Lyudmyla and Nadiia. Their section of the draw does not get easier, featuring formidable squads like top seeds Jasmine Paolini and Sara Errani, as well as Jelena Ostapenko and Hsieh Su-wei.
On the singles side, Gauff is seeded fourth and granted a first-round bye, entering directly into the Round of 32. She is scheduled to face the winner between wild card Elsa Jacquemot and doubles partner McCartney Kessler, presenting another critical match for her to gain momentum in Doha.
Mixed Results Mark Gauff’s Past Performances in Qatar
Despite her strong presence on the WTA Tour, the Qatar Open has presented challenges for Coco Gauff in singles. She exited early in the past two editions, falling to Marta Kostyuk and Kateřina Siniaková in opening matches. Her only win in Doha since 2023 came against Petra Kvitová, but that run ended after a tough three-set loss to Veronika Kudermetova.
Her deepest singles advancement at the Qatar Open came in a single quarterfinal appearance, where she defeated Shelby Rogers, Caroline Garcia, and Paula Badosa before losing to Maria Sakkari. This record highlights the tournament as one where Gauff aims to improve this year.
Doubles Success Adds Context to Gauff’s Doha Campaign
While singles results have been mixed, Gauff has enjoyed greater success in doubles at this event. She won the Qatar doubles title in 2022 with Jessica Pegula, defeating the team of Elise Mertens and Veronika Kudermetova in the final. The pair successfully defended their title in 2023 by beating Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jeļena Ostapenko.
This history suggests Gauff has the capability to perform strongly in doubles at this venue, although this season’s new partnership with Mboko remains untested. With the tournament just beginning, both singles and doubles performances will be closely monitored as she aims to regain form and build momentum.
Prospects and Expectations for the 2026 Qatar Open
As Coco Gauff embarks on the 2026 Qatar Open, the tennis world watches keenly to see whether she can overcome recent setbacks. Her singles campaign carries significant weight amid previous disappointments at this event, while the fresh doubles partnership with Mboko offers intriguing potential. How this pairing gels and whether Gauff can advance deeper in singles will shape her trajectory for the season ahead, signaling important benchmarks in her ongoing career development.
🇨🇦 victoria mboko will be teaming up with 🇺🇸 coco gauff for doubles in doha!
they will face 7th seeds, 🇪🇸 bucsa / 🇺🇸 melichar-martinez in round 1! pic.twitter.com/nlHQCHOITj
— victoria mboko updates (@mbokodaily) February 6, 2026
