I still hope Kuina is alive. It sounds so strange to let her die by falling down the stairs, out of nowhere. I can still see her as rival to zoro, while she is extremely focused on be stronger than man, to follow her way as Swordfighter as Woman. Driven away by this Focus she even goes in relation with some bad guys (Kaido? BB? Marines?) and take a Devilfruit. So somewhere in the future they fight, while Kuina Switch from swordfighting to her Devilfruit, maybe Zoan(?), and because of that, Zoro is able to beat her. And the fight Ends with his words:
"If you had stayed the woman you were back then, i would be never able to beat you."