Coco Gauff battles her way into Miami Open third round

Published On: Fri, Mar 20th, 2026

Sports | By admin

Coco Gauff battles her way into Miami Open third round

Coco Gauff made her 2026 Miami Open debut against Elisabetta Cocciaretto who defeated her a few weeks ago in Doha in straight sets.

It was the first time tennis fans saw Gauff since her March 8 midmatch retirement at Indian Wells against Alexandra Eala.

She has been dealing with a nerve issue in her left arm. The arm was not wrapped, and she showed no visible signs of discomfort.

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Coco Gauff prevailed in 3 sets over 2 hours

Gauff dropped the first set, and Cocciaretto was frustrating her even in the latter sets. Cocciaretto took the ball very quickly on the fast Miami Open courts, and Gauff was forced to react quickly.

Serving woes continued. The double faults were not as frequent, but they came at inopportune times.

Her best game was the eighth game of the third set. Gauff’s serving was great, and she showed her athleticism and tremendous shotmaking skills.

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How healthy is Gauff?

We really do not know how healthy she is. It has been 12 days since Gauff retired with a firework sensation pulsing down her left arm. It is safe to assume she is less than 100%.

Mar 20, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Coco Gauff (USA) (R) shakes hands with Elisabetta Cocciaretto (ITA) (L) at the net after their match on day four of the 2026 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

She was born in Florida so this is her home tournament. Gauff admitted she may have skipped any other tournament because of her arm injury, but playing the Miami Open was a top priority.

Winning this tournament in singles is on her bucket list. She is the 2023 Miami Open doubles champion (with Jessica Pegula).