Alex Eala and Coco Guaff’s new-found partnership will be put to the test early, facing the duo of Alexandra Panova and Hungary’s Fanny Stollar in the Round of 32.
After a tough first-round exit, Alex Eala shifts focus to her doubles campaign featuring a high-profile partnership with American star Coco Gauff at the 2025 Italian Open.
The Filipina rising star joins forces with the former world no. 2 for the first time, taking on the pair of Russian’s Alexandra Panova and Hungary’s Fanny Stollar in the Round of 32 on Friday (PH time). Match time is yet to be determined as of this writing.
Eala, who bowed out in the women’s singles draw after a 0-6, 1-6 loss to Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in the first round, looks to bounce back alongside one of the game’s brightest names in Gauff.
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The current world no. 3 and the 2023 US Open champion is fresh off a runner-up finish at the 2025 Madrid Masters to eventual winner and current world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
That same tournament also saw Iga Swiatek exact revenge on Eala after the Filipina's stunning Miami Open quarterfinal win a couple of months ago.
Last year, Gauff also became the youngest champion of the WTA Finals since Maria Sharapova in 2004 after defeating Chinese foe Zheng Qinwen in the championship round.
Gauff’s credentials in doubles are equally formidable. She owns nine career doubles titles, including the 2024 French Open crown with Katerina Siniaková, and three WTA 1000 trophies from Qatar, Canada, and Miami.
While Gauff has successfully teamed with Jessica Pegula and Erin Routliffe in the past, her pairing with Eala introduces a new dynamic — one combining Gauff’s elite experience and Eala’s growing presence on the WTA stage.
Against a steady duo in Panova and Stollar, the debuting tandem will be tested early.
(With reports from Pao Ambat)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]