Gauff on Eala: "She's a doubles killer"

Alexandra Eala and Coco Gauff teamed up to play doubles in Rome. Having already secured two wins together, they’ve advanced to the quarterfinals.

Gauff reveals who initiated the partnership and what she thinks of the Filipina player: "She sent me a private message on Instagram, asking if I wanted to play together. I said, ‘Of course, why not?’

Honestly, we didn’t really know each other before Madrid. I greeted her for the first time there, or maybe in Miami—we might have briefly said hello. I thought she seemed nice.

When there are finally people my age on tour, I’m thrilled to interact with them. For me, this was a great opportunity to play doubles while enjoying a relaxed vibe with another player.

I’m really happy to be playing with her, and she’s obviously a real killer in doubles."

The Eala/Gauff pair will face Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini this Thursday for a spot in the doubles semifinals in Rome.