Gauff advances in windy Indian Wells, faces Eala next in third round

INDIAN WELLS -- With age, inevitably, comes responsibility.

As recently as a few years ago, Coco Gauff lived with her family in southern Florida and her mother dutifully did her laundry. No more. These days, Gauff has her own place nearby, has acquired a new skill and seems to enjoy the space.

“There are times, because I have my younger brothers,” Gauff said, “they're like, `Are you spending the night here?’

“I'm like, `No, I'm going back to my bed.’"

On Friday, the No. 4 seed at the BNP Paribas Open took a brief nap before finishing off qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova 6-3, 7-6 (5) in a windswept second-round match. Gauff impressively overcame 5-2 and 6-5 second-set deficits.

Sometimes it feels like Gauff, who turns 22 a week from Friday, has been doing this virtually forever. It was the sixth straight year she’s won a main-draw match here, making her the third youngest do that, after precocious predecessors Caroline Wozniacki and Lindsay Davenport.

“I feel like every time I play her the score never shows how tough of a player she is,” Gauff said in her on-court interview. “It’s hard with the [windy] conditions. She makes you play a lot of balls and uncomfortable shots. It’s never easy.

“I felt like if I could get into the tiebreaker, I feel like I have a pretty good tiebreak record. I knew the odds were in my favor when the tiebreaker started.”

The win sets up a potential Sunday blockbuster third-round match against No. 31 seed Alex Eala, who overcame Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska in a late-night thriller. Eala, a rising 20-year-old from the Philippines, has captured the imagination of global tennis fans and become the most sought after ticket at the tennis box office in recent months.

A few takeaways:

Consistent clutch-ability

Gauff remains a superior competitor, rising to the challenge when points matter most. She raised her level in the tiebreak, winning the match point by scrambling to pick up a dropshot and firing a killer overhead.

Gauff saved 8 of 13 break points overall and overcame that three-game deficit in the second set.

In the critical eighth game of the first set, Rakhimova was threatening to win her third straight game and level things at 4-all. At 15-all, Gauff hammered a running backhand pass and then prevailed in two long and absorbing rallies to take the game and swing the momentum back in her favor.

Changing it up

Gauff displayed a full toolkit against the No. 88-ranked Rakhimova, often going to a slice backhand and, a few times, off the forehand as well. An accomplished doubles player, Gauff moved forward when the opportunities presented themselves and knocked off some crisp volleys.

Gauff’s speed and instinct make her one of the game’s best defenders. She repeatedly tracked down Rakhimova’s shots deep in the corners. On the other side, knowing what Gauff was capable of, Rakhimova consistently overhit balls from neutral positions.

Double trouble

Double faults have plagued Gauff this season -- only Kimberly Birrell (88) has more than her 86 -- and they were again a factor Friday.

Gauff hit 10 doubles, and one of them came in the tiebreak and could have cost her. Meanwhile, Gauff struck zero aces.

By the numbers

• Gauff is now 3-0 against Rakhimova -- and 2-0 in 2026 after her 6-2, 6-3 win in the first round of the Australian Open 
• Since the start of the 2020 season, Gauff is one of four players with 100-plus match wins at WTA 1000 events, along with Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula
• Gauff is a sporty 23-3 against qualifiers and lucky losers in WTA 1000s
• Rakhimova is now 1-10 against Top 10 opponents.

Eala overcomes Yastremska in late night thriller

Gauff's next opponent will be 31st-seeded Alex Eala of the Philippines. The 20-year-old needed 2 hours, 43 minutes to overcome Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska. After the players split the first two sets, Yastremska served for the match in the 10th game of the decider before Eala broke back. The Filipina won three straight games to complete the 7-5, 4-6, 7-5 victory just before midnight local time.

A few takeaways from Eala's win:

Creating history for Philippine tennis in Tennis Paradise

Eala continues to blaze a trail for tennis in her country. She became the first player from the Philippines to appear in the main draw at Indian Wells. She is also the only player from the Philippines to have competed in a Tier I/WTA 1000 main draw since the format’s introduction in 1990.

Double Trouble for Yastremska as well

The Ukrainian was undone by 15 double faults in the match, including eight in the final set. In contrast, Eala committed only four. Yastremska is now 0-2 against Eala at the WTA Tour level.

Second career meeting with Gauff

The win sets up a quarterfinal between Eala and fourth-seeded Gauff. It will be the second meeting between the two, with Gauff winning their quarterfinal clash in Dubai last month while losing only two games.