Coco Gauff could face a fellow Grand Slam champion in her first match at Indian Wells after the draw is made

Coco Gauff will be hoping for a change in fortunes after a disappointing Middle Eastern swing.

Gauff, who is the world number three, has struggled for form since reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open.

The American first played in Doha, where Gauff lost her only match to Marta Kostyuk in straight sets.

Even more concerns were raised for the former US Open champion in the following tournament, with Gauff making unwanted history in Dubai.

Despite her recent misfortunes, Gauff is not the only player struggling, with Aryna Sabalenka also finding wins hard to come by.

Gauff will make her return at Indian Wells, but has been handed a difficult draw in her opening match of the tournament.

Coco Gauff could face Emma Raducanu in the second round of Indian Wells

As the third seed Gauff receives an automatic bye to the second round, where she will play the winner of the match between 2021 US Open champion Emma Raducanu and Moyuka Uchijima.

Raducanu, who is without a permanent coach at the moment, has previously enjoyed the conditions at Indian Wells and reached the last-16 at the WTA 1000 tournament in 2023.

Gauff made the semi-finals for the first time last year, but Indian Wells may have a different feel in 2025 after the tournament altered its surface.

If she is able to overcome Raducanu or Uchijima in her second round match, Gauff could play two-time Indian Wells finalist Maria Sakkari.

Things won’t get much easier for Gauff with potential meetings against the likes of Qatar Open champion Amanda Anisimova, Australian Open champion Madison Keys and world number one Sabalenka.

If Gauff is to reach the Indian Wells final for the first time in her career she could face defending champion Iga Swiatek.

Has Coco Gauff played Emma Raducanu before?

Gauff and Raducanu have played on one previous occasion in a match that came in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open.

It was Gauff who came out on the winning side of the match on that occasion, beating Raducanu 6-3 7-6(4) on Rod Laver Arena.

When speaking about the match in her post-match press conference, Gauff was full of credit for Raducanu and admitted that she was not surprised by the level that her opponent showed against her.

“I wouldn’t say anything surprised me because I feel like I’ve watched enough of her play,” Gauff said at the time. “I knew how she was going to come out.

“I definitely was impressed – well I wouldn’t say ‘impressed’ – but I knew she’s like a Grand Slam champion. I knew she had it in her. But she raised her level a lot towards the end of the second set.

“It takes a lot of resilience I feel like to do that, especially in the big stages and the big matches. When you’re down a set and a break, it’s easy to throw in the towel. I think she did a good job of raising her level when she needed to. Just honestly, tiebreakers can go either way, and it went my way tonight.”

The Indian Wells main draw gets underway on Wednesday March 5, with second round matches taking place from Friday March 7.

“Whether it’s box braids, twists, or my natural hair, it’s a form of self-expression that I’m really proud of,” Coco Gauff once said, and she continues to embody that pride with every new look. A rising force in the WTA, Gauff has navigated a sport where diversity is still growing, forging her path with resilience. But her journey is deeply inspired by Venus and Serena Williams, not just their Grand Slam success, but their fearless self-expression and style statements. With their game and their signature styles, the Williams sisters redefined tennis, and Gauff is carrying that legacy forward. Recently she even suggested combining her unique hairstyle with the long-standing legacy of the Williams sisters on the court.

In celebration of Black History Month, the World No. 3 and reigning WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff showcased a striking new hairstyle paying tribute to the legendary Williams sisters. Teaming up with Carol’s Daughter, Gauff unveiled a look featuring beaded cornrows; an affectionate homage to Serena and Venus, who famously made headlines in the early 2000s with their iconic beaded hairstyles in the tennis arena.

Just one day ago, the official page of Carol’s Daughter shared a collaboration video with Coco where she said, “I remember obviously watching Venus and Serena when I was young. This look is kind of a homage to them. They’ve always changed their hair. They had the beads, they had the braids, they had the curls, they had straight, they had everything.” The 20-year-old also talked about her journey as a black tennis athlete in the current generation. “When I became more aware of what I wanted to do with my hair, I was inspired by and took note of what they were doing with theirs.”

However, just as the video got online, the hair designer Yojanse Jimenez shared another video on his IG where Coco was flaunting her hair, captioning, “A crown braided in history. ✨ For @cocogauff, this beaded braid look is more than just a style—it’s a tribute to the legacy of Venus and Serena, who paved the way for champions like her. Honoring the past while celebrating the present, Coco continues to inspire the next generation with her talent, grace, and undeniable power. 🖤🏆”. Later, the 9-time WTA singles title winner shared the same video on her IG stories, adding, “#YojanseDidIt”.

Although Coco first burst onto the tennis scene in 2019, sporting ‘box braids’ at Wimbledon, by the 2023 US Open, she had switched to ‘cornrows’. “Honestly, I wanted to try this and I got tired of braids all the time. I like to change up my hair. I’ve tried color in the past with the braids and everything, but I just needed something different,” she even said at that time.

Her passion for hairstyling experimentation was amplified through a long-term collaboration with Carol’s Daughter, a brand renowned for its celebration of Black beauty. Even before their official collaboration, the current no. 3 had been a longtime user of the brand’s products, making the partnership feel like a natural fit.

This was, however, not the first instance of Coco Gauff paying tribute to the Williams sisters, notwithstanding her elaborate braided hairstyle.

“Having role models like Serena and Venus to look up to made a difference” — Coco Gauff opens up about the Williams sisters

Coco Gauff has repeatedly emphasized the considerable impact of Venus and Serena Williams on her career, describing them as inspirational figures who facilitated her achievements. Featuring in a video clip by Baker Tilly US last year, the 2023 US Champion candidly reflected on her experience as a black athlete in a ‘predominantly white’ sport. She noted that a lack of local recognition for her on-court achievements during her youth highlighted the profound influence of pioneering figures like the Williams sisters on her career trajectory.

“Finding myself was difficult. Being Black in tennis is, sometimes you do stick out like a sore thumb. Like in the Black community, tennis is not a huge thing. Nobody really knew anything about it. I had mentioned that I play tennis but nobody cared,” she said.

Continuing further, Coco added, “But I feel like for me, having role models like Serena and Venus to look up to make a difference. Honestly, I just remember watching Venus at US Open. My dad got second-row tickets and we were so close and that was a cool thing,”.

On the court, Coco will next compete at the Indian Wells Open starting March 5th. Do you think she is a strong favorite for the title there?

Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion and current World No. 3, once revealed who she believes is the GOAT of tennis.

Coco Gauff cemented her status as one of the top players in the world when she won her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. The 20-year-old has been ranked as high as world No. 2 in singles, being world No. 1 in doubles, and has also won the WTA Finals, adding another major trophy to her cabinet. While she keeps building a career, the youngster made her feelings known about who should be called the “GOAT” in tennis.

“Serena is Serena. She’s the GOAT,” Gauff said of the younger Williams sister right after qualifying for the US Open final in 2023. “I’d hope to do half of what she did. But I’m not gonna compare myself to her,” she added.

“She’s my idol,” Gauff told the press. “The only regret I’ll have for the rest of my life is not being able to play her. There were so many tournaments where if we won an extra round and didn’t lose, I would’ve played her. But I’m still happy to just be a product of her legacy and be out here for American tennis.”

When she won the US Open at 19 years old, Gauff became the first American teenager to win the title since Serena in 1999. While she said that Serena is the GOAT, Gauff has also expressed admiration for Venus, whom she beat in her first Wimbledon match back in 2019.

“They are the reason I picked up a racquet,” Gauff told UPI after her Wimbledon debut. Serena has supported Coco on several occasions, even attending her Round of 16 match at the 2024 US Open.

World number three Gauff hopes to bounce back from her early exit in Doha at the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai (16-22 February).

Coco Gauff will be in action at the 2025 Dubai Tennis Championships (16-22 February) in the United Arab Emirates.

In the second WTA 1000 tennis tournament of the season, the world number three will be aiming for a reaction in Dubai, having fallen at the first hurdle in the previous tournament in Doha, Qatar.

Gauff was beaten in straight sets by unseeded player Marta Kostyuk in the second round of the Qatar Open, to which she had received a bye due to being seeded.

The 20-year-old begins her campaign at the same stage against fellow American and world no. 53 McCartney Kessler, who upset eventual Qatar champion Amanda Anisimova in the first round in Dubai.

Gauff has won two WTA 1000 titles in her career as she targets a third in the UAE, where the Dubai Tennis Championships final will take place on Saturday, 22 February.

Here is how to watch Gauff in Dubai on the latest stop on the WTA tennis tour.

• Coco Gauff crashes out in second round at Qatar Open
  

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  Dubai Tennis Championships 2025 – how to watch live

  The Dubai Tennis Championships will be broadcast on Tennis Channel in the United States, Spain and India, while it will be shown in Canada on TSN/TVA.

  

  Fans in Africa can watch on SuperSport, and Australian supporters will be able to watch the WTA 1000 tournament on beIN Sports.

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WTA Qatar Open 2025 – Coco Gauff’s schedule

• 18 February: Second Round – Gauff vs McCartney Kessler (USA)
• 19 February: Third Round – Gauff/Kessler vs Emma Raducanu (GBR)/Karolina Muchova (CZE)
• 20 February: Quarter-finals
• 21 February: Semi-finals
• 22 February: Final

When it comes to her love life, Coco Gauff is one tough nut. Amid the glam and glitz of being a sword (read: racket) yielding diva, and the intense scrutiny/limelight that comes with it, there are some things that Coco would rather keep close to her heart, away from the world. Like her boyfriend…

Having been in a relationship since 2023, the tennis star has counted the exact numbers of steps she’s proceeded to divulge details about her relationship, before retracting. It’s always been bits and pieces of information sprinkled across multiple interviews. The 20-year-old first confirmed her relationship in March last year after her father Corey described it as a “friend who she’s dating”: “He’s a very nice guy. He’s in school now. He’s about to apply for music school. He wants to be an actor and he plays the guitar. He’s not from Delray. He’s actually from Atlanta.”

In an interview with TIME Magazine the very next month, she divulged more. “This is my first real relationship. To just have someone to talk to who is not involved in tennis at all gives me a fresh perspective…,” Gauff said before adding that her mother was her boyfriend’s fourth grade teacher.“My mom always said, if they’re bad in school, they’re probably bad as adults. He’s always been a smart, nice kid.” What’s more?

Ahead of her US Open Final, her mystery man even helped her beat the blues. “Last night, I started a little bit, but honestly, I just called my boyfriend, and I told him let’s talk until it’s time to go to sleep so we spoke until 1:00 a.m. and then I went to sleep,” the 20-year said. Wholesome, right? And, as expected, the couple would also be indulging in normal couple activities, right? Well, no.

Just like last year, Coco Gauff has decided to spend February 14 with her other Valentine—her mother—with some quality time in Dubai. The World No. 3 shared a video of savoring delicious food with Candi Gauff, who is a former heptathlon athlete. Sharing the reel, Gauff wrote, “V-day dinner with my mom @candigauff.” While this time, we didn’t see her rumored boyfriend enter the picture indirectly, the same cannot be said for last year.

Like clockwork, last year too, Coco shared a heap of pictures cruising on a quadricycle on Qatar’s Sealine Desert with her mom for Valentine’s Day. After exiting the 2024 Qatar Open in the second round, she spent her time sightseeing with Candi in Doha. The duo shared snippets of their outings on their respective Instagram handles, and Gauff captioned it as “Motorsport.” That’s not the most interesting part, though.

Jalen Sera, her rumored boyfriend, made sure to hop into the comment section to add a little flirtatious comment. Calling her “Sandwoman”, Sera wrote, “These last two posts really bring out the earthbender in you.”

Having said that, for Coco Gauff, her mother is her constant travel partner. Be it cheering for her daughter at the 2025 United Cup or visiting the Great Wall of China together during their trip to Beijing, Candi has been Coco’s partner in crime. Reflecting on this special bond with her mother previously, Coco Gauff had said, “Yeah, I mean, both my parents are constant support all the time. My mom, it’s just a motherly thing. There’s nothing like a mother-daughter relationship. Especially in swings like Asia where it maybe is more isolated than usual, we just play Uno lot.”

Legendary coach Rick Macci has shared his thoughts on Coco Gauff’s game after the American’s surprise early exit at the Qatar Open.

Gauff fell to a 2-6, 5-7 defeat to world No 21 Marta Kostyuk in her opening match at the WTA 1000 event in Doha on Tuesday.

The world No 3 served seven double faults and won just 33% of her second serve points as she was broken four times in her nine service games by the 22-year-old Ukrainian.

The 20-year-old was also troubled by her serve in her previous match — a 5-7, 4-6 loss to Paula Badosa in the Australian Open quarter-finals last month.

Macci, who coached tennis icons and sisters Serena and Venus Williams, backed Gauff to bounce back while also identifying issues with her serve and forehand.

“Coco will be fine as she is a fighter and has turbo jets in her shoes,” the 70-year-old wrote on X.

“X factor for greatness is the second serve; not connected properly and the forehand is the same.

“When you’re confident, technical flaws can Hide. When you get nervous, they bubble up and opponents Seek.”

Last year, Macci asserted that it would not take long at all to fix the technical problem he sees with Gauff’s second serve.

World number three Gauff is looking to secure her third WTA 1000 title at the Qatar Open 2025 (9-15 February).

Coco Gauff plays in the first WTA 1000 tennis tournament of the year at the 2025 Qatar Open (9-15 February).

The US star returns to the Middle East for the first time since her WTA Finals triumph in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the end of the 2024 season.

After reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, Gauff is setting her sights on silverware and what would be a third WTA 1000 title in her career.

As world number three and one of the top eight seeds, the 20-year-old has earned a bye into the second round. She will face Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk after her 6-3, 6-3 win over Turkish wildcard Zeynep Sonmez.

The final in Doha takes place on Saturday 15 February.

Scroll down to find out how to watch Gauff live at the Qatar Open.

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