Coco Gauff cruised into the semi-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships with a straight-sets win over Alexandra Eala.

Following her nervy victory over Elise Mertens last time out, Gauff defeated Eala 6-0 6-2 in just over an hour, producing a more confident display.

Gauff struggled with her serve against Mertens, but she showed no such signs this time around after winning 80% of her first-serve points in the first set.

The third seed also converted three of her five break points as Eala won just 11 points in the opener.

Things did not improve much in the second for the 20-year-old, with Gauff racing into a 4-0 lead following back-to-back breaks.

Eala managed to avoid another bagel and even broke Gauff's serve in the sixth game, but the American clinched victory with her first match point.

13 - Since the Tier1/WTA-1000 format introduction in 1990, only Martina Hingis (33) and Maria Sharapova (15) have reached more semi-finals in such events before turning 22 than Coco Gauff (13). Upward. #DDFTennis | @DDFTennis @WTA pic.twitter.com/4rvWejq3QZ

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) February 19, 2026

Data Debrief: Americans thriving in Dubai

After Jessica Pegula and Amanda Anisimova also qualified for the last four earlier in the day, three Americans will feature in the semi-finals of a WTA-1000 event for the third time since the format's introduction in 2009, after Beijing 2025 (also Gauff, Pegula, Anisimova) and Toronto 2024 (Emma Navarro, Anisimova, Pegula).

Since the Tier 1/WTA-1000 format introduction in 1990, only Martina Hingis (33) and Maria Sharapova (15) have reached more semi-finals in such events before turning 22 than Gauff (13).