Elisabetta Cocciaretto’s focus is split this week but there was no visible evidence of that on Tuesday when she rolled to a 6-4, 6-2 second-round upset of No. 4 seed Coco Gauff at the Qatar Open in Doha.
The Italian saved four of five break points while unceremoniously sending Gauff home after the American’s first match of the tournament. Gauff committed three times as many unforced errors (39) as winners (13).
It was Gauff’s first match since getting routed in straight sets in the Australian Open quarterfinals by Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina.
“I just feel like I haven’t showed up with my best level the last few matches,” said Gauff, No. 5 in the world rankings. “I’m just looking to find that again.”
Meanwhile, Cocciaretto said she is distracted by the huge sporting spectacle in her homeland.
“This week is a little bit different for me,” Cocciaretto said postmatch. “I’m more focused on the Winter Olympics than the tournament. That might be the key of why I am playing better.”
Cocciaretto, ranked No. 57 in the world, wasn’t even part of the main draw after losing in qualifying. But when McCartney Kessler (back injury) withdrew, Cocciaretto was elevated into the tournament.
The 25-year-old recently claimed her second career title by winning the Hobart International in Australia. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play Gauff.
“She’s a really great player, so it was an honor to share the court with her today,” Cocciaretto said. “I’m really happy to be in the next round in Doha.”
For Gauff, it is a time to dig deep as she wasn’t sharp after receiving a first-round bye.
“I tried to be more aggressive and was hitting more unforced errors,” Gauff said. “When I tried to be a little more passive and play with more shape, she was taking the ball early and crushing the ball.”
Cocciaretto will next face Ann Li, who recorded a 6-3, 6-4 win over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.
Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina played her first match since winning Down Under and notched a 6-2, 6-4 victory over China’s Wang Xinyu. The victory was the 400th of Rybakina’s career.
“That’s a nice statistic,” No. 2 seed Rybakina said afterward. “It’s a lot of matches played. But yeah, it’s incredible. I’m just happy again that I can play and feel happy. I’m just enjoying every time I’m playing now on the court.”
Top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland cruised to a 6-0, 6-3 win over Indonesia wild-card Janice Tjen.
Swiatek has won 72 consecutive opening matches.
“It’s always nice to start a tournament in a solid way and I’m ready for every match,” Swiatek said of the streak. “I think that’s the reason for that. I don’t take anything for granted, so even first rounds or second rounds, I treat them as super important matches and as a challenge.”
Maria Sakkari of Greece upset No. 6 Jasmine Paolini of Italy 6-4, 6-2, and No. 7 Svitolina sailed to a 6-1, 6-4 victory over countrymate Dayana Yastremska.
Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko knocked off No. 8 Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-2, Varvara Gracheva of France defeated No. 9 Linda Noskova of Czechia 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 and No. 10 Victoria Mboko of Canada beat Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-4, 6-4.
Russian Anna Kalinskaya beat No. 12 Emma Navarro 7-5, 2-6, 6-2, No. 14 Karolina Muchova was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Tereza Valentova in an all-Czech affair and Australia’s Daria Kasatkina rolled to a 6-4, 6-0 win over No. 16 Elise Mertens of Belgium.
Also, Camila Osorio of Colombia outlasted Czech Katerina Siniakova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, and Zheng Qinwen of China defeated Alycia Parks 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-2.
–Field Level Media
