Kostyuk Upsets Gauff in Qatar Open Second Round

Coco Gauff experienced a surprising early exit from the Qatar Open, defeated by Marta Kostyuk in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. Gauff's performance was marred by seven double faults and 39 unforced errors, leading to her second successive defeat after a quarterfinal loss at the Australian Open. Despite a strong start in the second set, Gauff was unable to maintain her lead, allowing Kostyuk to capitalize on her errors and secure the victory. Kostyuk, ranked No. 21, praised Gauff as an 'incredible fighter' and expressed satisfaction with her own performance. This win marks Kostyuk's first victory against Gauff in four encounters. Meanwhile, other notable matches include Elena Rybakina's victory over Peyton Stearns and Ekaterina Alexandrova's upset of top seed Aryna Sabalenka.