American tennis player Coco Gauff progressed to the third round of the Dubai Tennis Championships on Tuesday by defeating Russia’s Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4. This victory came after Gauff struggled in previous tournaments, including a heavy loss to Elina Svitolina in Melbourne and an upset by Elisabetta Cocciaretto in Doha.
Gauff Climbs Higher in WTA 1000 Records
With her latest win, Coco Gauff has established herself further among the sport’s elite by reaching the round of 16 in WTA 1000 events for the 31st time, surpassing Maria Sharapova’s record of 30 such appearances, as reported by OptaAce. This milestone also places Gauff ahead of players like Caroline Wozniacki, who made 28 round-of-16 appearances, and Svetlana Kuznetsova, who reached this stage 26 times.
Only Martina Hingis remains ahead, with 44 appearances reaching the round of 16 in WTA 1000 tournaments during her career. Gauff is now aiming to close the gap on this record as she prepares to face Elise Mertens in the upcoming round. Mertens, a seasoned player on the WTA Tour, recently overcame Marie Bouzkova to advance. Gauff holds a perfect 4-0 record against Mertens, including a commanding 6-0, 6-2 victory at the 2024 Indian Wells Open and wins at the Eastbourne Open, French Open, and US Open.
Gauff Reflects on Her Performance Against Kalinskaya
Following her win in Dubai, Gauff highlighted the adjustments she made compared to her previous encounter with Kalinskaya, which the Russian won earlier in the tournament this year.
“Just trying to be more positive,”
Gauff explained.
“Yeah, it wasn’t the prettiest win, but it was enough for today.”
She also noted the challenge of adapting to windy conditions, which affected both players’ consistency on court.
“Yeah it was pretty windy, I felt it a lot on that side so I was just trying to adjust and I think both of us were struggling with consistency on the court. I think all week… at least when I’ve been here, it’s not been windy. So a little bit today was a bit different,”
Gauff said.
“I mean, I feel fine. It wasn’t that long of a match today. I think it’s more so just trying to work on the things that I need for tomorrow’s match.”
Implications for Gauff’s Future in Tennis
Coco Gauff’s record-breaking achievements in the WTA 1000 series reinforce her rising status in women’s tennis and suggest a promising trajectory toward becoming one of the sport’s all-time greats. With only Martina Hingis ahead in round-of-16 appearances, Gauff’s continued success in high-level tournaments will be closely watched. Her upcoming clash with Elise Mertens offers another opportunity to extend her impressive winning streak and move closer to the top of the WTA 1000 leaderboard.
31 – Only Martina Hingis (44) has reached more Round of 16 in Tier I / WTA-1000 events than Coco Gauff (31, surpassing Maria Sharapova) since the format was introduced in 1990 before turning 22. Valiant.#DDFTennis | @DDFTennis @WTA pic.twitter.com/K5cK1q7eCo
— OptaAce (@OptaAce) February 17, 2026
