Gauff received on-court medical attention late in the first set, trailing 5-2. Trainers worked on both her left shoulder and forearm, applying a compression bandage between sets in a bid to stabilize her arm. Despite the treatment, the American eventually retired when Eala broke in the second game of the second set.
“I felt it, like, the second game of the first set. I guess a simple way to put it, it felt like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire,” Gauff said in comments circulated by the tournament. “Being told that it’s probably something nerve-related. Never had anything like this before, never felt anything, a sensation like this before.”
Eala, who was initially unaware of Gauff’s withdrawal, embraced the American at the net after Gauff leaned on it in pain. In her post-match on-court interview, Eala acknowledged International Women’s Day and thanked the women who have shaped tennis, including Gauff herself for her impact on the sport.
Gauff’s previous mid-match retirement came in 2022 at the Cincinnati Open against Marie Bouzková, making this only the second time she has been forced to leave a match prematurely.
The injury disrupted Gauff’s signature game, particularly her two-handed backhand, which is crucial when facing left-handed opponents like Eala. The injury initially manifested while hitting a forehand, one of her key weapons to control rallies and create offensive opportunities. Her normally reliable forehand down the line and heavy topspin shots were inconsistent due to the arm issue, and she struggled with double faults on both first and second serves.
Eala capitalized on the situation, mixing crosscourt rallies and drop shots to exploit the disruption in Gauff’s rhythm. With the win, the No. 31-seeded Eala advances to her first Indian Wells fourth round, where she will meet No. 14 seed Linda Nosková.
Gauff will now focus on diagnosing the injury ahead of the upcoming Miami Open, another WTA 1000 event. She has scheduled an MRI to better understand the extent of the nerve-related issue that forced her to retire.