Svitolina Upsets Gauff in Dubai
Elina Svitolina upset Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-7(13), 6-4 in a thrilling 3:03 marathon match in Dubai. The victory is being called one of the season's best matches so far. Svitolina's win sets up a final showdown with Jessica Pegula.
- This victory marked Elina Svitolina's return to the Dubai final for the first time in eight years; she is a two-time previous champion of the event, having won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018. - The match featured a dramatic second-set tiebreak, the longest of the 2026 season, which Gauff won 15-13. Svitolina had held four match points during the tiebreak before Gauff forced the deciding set. - Prior to this encounter, the head-to-head record between the two players was tied at 2-2. This victory gives Svitolina a 3-2 edge in their matchups. - Coco Gauff entered the semifinal as the World No. 4, while Elina Svitolina was ranked No. 9. - In the final, Svitolina was defeated by World No. 5 Jessica Pegula, 6-2, 6-4. It was Svitolina's first WTA 1000 final since 2018. - Jessica Pegula advanced to the final after staging a comeback victory against Amanda Anisimova, rallying from being down a set and a break to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. - Gauff's statistics for the match included 48 total winners, but these were offset by 46 unforced errors from her forehand. - For Svitolina, reaching the final was a significant achievement, marking her return to the top tier of the sport after becoming a mother.
