© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
Coco Gauff candidly admitted “not playing very well” was the main reason behind her shock early exit in Doha but added it was “nothing more than a bad day at the office” as the American tennis star hopes to bounce back this week in Dubai.
Last week, world No. 3 Gauff was beaten in her Doha opener as world No. 39 Katerina Siniakova upset the top-ranked American female tennis player 6-2 6-4.
After making a very slow start to the match and finding herself down by a set, Gauff appeared to be a completely different player at the start of the second set. But Gauff – who had a 4-0 lead and was up by a double break in the second set – stunningly lost the next six games and ultimately the match.
Gauff, who entered the Siniakova match with a 10-1 record in 2024, played by far her worst match of the season in Doha.
“In Doha, I lost in the first match because I didn’t play very well, maybe if I had played better and still lost, it would be different. It is in these moments that we must know how to maintain a sense of proportion,” Gauff said in her pre-tournament press conference in Dubai.
“For example, if after a loss you feel like you need to skip a tournament, do it. In my case, I will always try to play as much as possible, as…
