Coco Gauff and Alexandra Eala advanced to the quarterfinals of the Italian Open on Tuesday after defeating the Italian duo of Tyra Grant and Lisa Pigato in straight sets. The rising pair will now face another Italian team in the next round and, ahead of the matchup, shared a lighthearted message with fans.
Since teaming up, following a surprise request from Eala to Gauff to partner for the tournament, the duo has enjoyed strong chemistry on and off the court. They’ve won three matches together and appear to be thriving, as shown in a recent video posted on the WTA’s official social media channels.
With their focus now on the quarterfinals, Gauff and Eala addressed fans in the clip, referring to themselves as “Team Coachella.” Eala said, “Thank you so much for all the support that you’ve been giving us this week, and hopefully, a lot of people will come out to watch our next match.”
Gauff chimed in with a playful clarification: “Thank you guys for all the support. Super happy to be playing with Alex. I hope you guys keep supporting us, but we don’t like being called ‘Team Coachella,’ so please change it.” Eala added with a smile: “Yeah, please, another name.”
Eala and Gauff set to compete in doubles quarterfinals
Focused on the challenge ahead, Gauff and Eala have developed strong chemistry as a doubles team. Gauff brings experience and accolades to the partnership, having won a Grand Slam doubles title at Roland Garros and reaching the world No. 1 ranking in 2022. Eala, meanwhile, is a rising WTA prospect with significant potential to showcase her talent on the big stage.
Coachella ❌
Pick another name 🤔#AlexEala #CocoGauff #wtarome #wta #tennis pic.twitter.com/QKjJ2nQZye— Alex Eala Edits 🎾 (@alexeala_edits) May 13, 2025
If this partnership continues to flourish, Gauff could see a return to the top of the doubles rankings, she currently sits at No. 22. For Eala, this run presents an opportunity to elevate her status and prove she has the tools to succeed at the highest level, especially considering her youth and rapid development.
Gauff also advances to singles quarterfinals at Italian Open
Following Tuesday’s doubles win, Gauff is also preparing for her singles quarterfinal match at the Italian Open. The American will face world No. 7 Mirra Andreeva in what promises to be a high-intensity showdown.
Statistically, Gauff holds the edge in this matchup. She leads the head-to-head series 3–0 against Andreeva. However, surprises are always possible, Jasmine Paolini provided a recent example by rallying from a set and a 4–0 deficit in the second to defeat Diana Shnaider in her quarterfinal match.
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