"That was just pathetic and embarrassing, don't know why Coco Gauff has regressed so much" - Fans react to American's shock loss in Dubai opener

World No. 3 Coco Gauff suffered another early exit in the Middle Eastern swing, falling to compatriot McCartney Kessler in the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday. Many fans were disappointed by her performance and voiced their frustration online.

Gauff, the No. 3 seed at the WTA 1000 tournament, received a first-round bye but faced another early exit, mirroring her second-round defeat in Doha. Kessler needed just an hour and a half on Dubai's Court 1 to eliminate her compatriot 6-4, 7-5.

Kessler remained steady under pressure, saving five of the six break points she faced. Her only lapse came while serving for the match at 6-4, 5-4, but she recovered quickly and broke Gauff three times to win the match.

The outcome stunned many tennis enthusiasts, with several criticizing the 20-year-old’s performance. A fan on X described it as "pathetic and embarrassing," voicing concern over her decline since Beijing and the WTA Finals. Gauff reached ended the 2024 season with monumental triumphs at the China Open and the WTA Finals in Riyadh.

"That was just pathetic and embarrassing. I don't know why she has regressed so much, but I am concerned. Her form in Beijing and WTA finals, she looked unstoppable. She's barely playing top 50 or top 100 tennis currently as the world #3. im very concerned now," they said.

A user noted that Gauff started the match well but struggled as it progressed.

"Coco started out the natch fine but now her level is dipping lower as the match progresses… bring back winning ugly," they wrote.

"It’s another early round loss for Coco Gauff in the Middle East swing. Still trying to find her form post AO," third fan said.

Another fan remarked that Gauff's game is regressing.

"Wow Coco is going backwards," they commented.

A few fans on Reddit also shared their views on the World No. 3's early exit from Dubai. A user highlighted Gauff's high unforced error count while also commending Kessler for her strong performance.

"12 winners to 44 unforced errors is definitely not gonna get it done for Coco, but it's nice to see Kessler continue a solid season so far," the fan said.

"Coco tryna get the hell out of the Middle East I guess," a fan chimed in.

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Coco Gauff's win-loss record dropped to 9-3 after shocking 2R exit at Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Coco Gauff at Miami Open Presented by Itau 2024 - Image Source: Getty

Coco Gauff carried the momentum from her 2024 WTA Finals campaign into the 2025 season at the United Cup, where she won all her singles matches. The 20-year-old had a solid run at the Australian Open, defeating Sofia Kenin, Jodie Burrage, Leylah Fernandez, and Belinda Bencic before falling to Spain's Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals.

However, Gauff struggled to find her rhythm on the Middle Eastern courts. After receiving a first-round bye at the WTA 1000 event in Doha, she lost to Marta Kostyuk 2-6, 5-7 in the second round. Her struggles continued in Dubai, where she fell to McCartney Kessler in the second round of the Duty Free Tennis Championships.

These consecutive losses lowered Gauff's season record to 9-3. While her Dubai campaign is over, Kessler has advanced to the third round where she will face No. 14 seed Karolina Muchova.