Cocciaretto edges Li in Doha thriller; into first WTA 1000 quarterfinal

Lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto defeated Ann Li in a 2-hour, 55-minute rollercoaster in the Qatar TotalEnergies Open third round to reach her first career WTA 1000 quarterfinal. Cocciaretto won the first set from 5-2 down, saving five set points; lost the second set from 5-3 up; and won the third from 4-2 down.

Cocciaretto defeated Ann Li 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4 on February 11, 2026, in the Round of 16 at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open. With this victory, Cocciaretto advanced to her first career WTA 1000 quarterfinal and moved back into the world’s top 50.

Match Highlights (Doha 2026)

• Final Score: Cocciaretto d. Li 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4.
• Duration: 2 hours and 55 minutes.
• Key Moments: Cocciaretto staged multiple comebacks, winning the first set from 5-2 down (saving five set points) and recovering from a 4-2 deficit in the final set.
• Path to the Win: Cocciaretto entered the Doha main draw as a lucky loser and reached the quarterfinals after upsetting world No. 5 Coco Gauff in the previous round.

Head-to-Head Record

Following their Doha match, Elisabetta Cocciaretto now leads the head-to-head series 2–1 against Ann Li.

Player Comparison (February 2026)