Coco Gauff suffered a scary injury during her match against Alexandra Eala in Indian Wells.
The American star was trailing 0-6, 0-2 to the Filipina prodigy when she was forced to retire due to a left arm injury.
After the match, Gauff told reporters in California that the injury felt like a ‘firework’ going off in her arm.
Where will Coco Gauff be ranked at the end of 2026?
Andy Roddick has since expressed his concern. After all, Gauff had only retired from a match once before in her seven-year career.
Gauff is now in Florida for the Miami Open, and she gave tennis fans some insight into the status of her injury ahead of the tournament.
Coco Gauff says her arm injury is ‘getting better’
“I took a few days off after Indian Wells,” Gauff told the Tennis Legends YouTube Channel.
“Honestly I have been practicing fine. It comes and goes but I definitely think that it’s getting better as time passes and I hope it stays on that pathway as the tournament starts.”
The Miami Open represents Gauff’s home event, as the American grew up in Delray Beach, Florida.
Therefore, it would only be natural if the American was feeling a little extra pressure heading into the event.
Responding to this point, Gauff said: “I don’t know. I think I feel obviously I do put a bit of pressure on me.
“I know I really want to win this tournament at some point in my career really badly, so I always think about that when I play. But I think this year I am trying to be grateful of family and people around me and the support.
“I am definitely approaching it differently this year. I don’t expect a lot, but I’m just happy to get the chance to play this tournament because I wasn’t sure it was going to be a possibility.”
Asked if expectations for the tournament are lower, Gauff responded: “I would say so. They are definitely lower but I think the goal this week is just to have fun and embrace the process.
“I am not a player who usually gets injured a lot so it’s a weird feeling, even though it’s a minor injury compared to a lot of others, but it’s a weird feeling when you even have to take some time away and you are like woah.
Coco Gauff’s 2026 WTA results so far…
| Tournament | Result | Who Gauff lost to |
| Australian Open | Quarter-finals | Elina Svitolina |
| Qatar Open | Round of 64 | — |
| Dubai Championships | Semi-finals | Elina Svitolina |
| Indian Wells | Round of 32 (retired) | Alexandra Eala |
“I am grateful for my health and how minor it is, and I get to be home during this process.”
One can only hope that Gauff is healthy enough to play her best tennis in Miami: when fully healthy and confident, Gauff is a joy to watch and one of the most exciting players to watch on the WTA Tour.
Coco Gauff’s Miami Open draw
Coco Gauff is seeded fourth in Miami and has received a bye through to the second round.
In the second round, she will play Elisabetta Cocciaretto or qualifier Darja Semenistaja.
Cocciaretto, who won the Billie Jean King Cup with Italy last year, defeated Gauff in straight sets at the 2026 Qatar Open.
If Gauff moves past her second-round opponent, she will likely play Maria Sakkari, who recently made the Qatar Open final.
How long will it take for Coco Gauff to complete the career Grand Slam?
From there, Gauff could play Czech youngster Linda Noskova in the round of 16 and Amanda Anisimova in the quarter-finals.
