Serena Williams’ childhood coach Rick Macci has an recommendation for Coco Gauff, telling the 20-year-old to “experiment” together with her serve through the offseason as a result of doing various things may assist her get a greater understanding of what is the very best for her in that regard.
As you most likely know very nicely, the world No. 3 struggled mightily together with her serve in 2024, particularly within the second a part of the season. Ultimately, the American tennis star blasted a complete of 430 double faults and led the WTA Tour in that division. Since Gauff had 71 clashes this yr, that makes it six double faults per match.
In the course of the season, the 2023 US Open champion did not conceal that she was pissed off together with her serve and that she want to deal with it. Additionally, she indicated a number of occasions that she was keen to listen to different opinions and see if one thing may assist.
A few days in the past, Gauff shared that she kicked her preparations for the 2025 season.
“The time for professionals to enhance is the offseason. Experiment on the serve since you might be in management. Altering from pinpoint to platform or platform to pinpoint may assist and understanding that it’s counter intuitive relating to the leg drive innates the racquet entry. @CocoGauff,” Macci wrote on X.
Gauff did not conceal her frustration after a poor serving show in a US Open loss
In her return to the US Open because the defending champion, the top-ranked American feminine tennis participant noticed her title protection got here to an finish within the round-of-16 after Emma Navarro handed her a 6-3 4-6 6-3 loss. In the course of the match, the world No. 3 sprayed 19 double faults and the serve letting her down was one of many greatest causes behind her loss.
Later in her post-match press convention, Gauff acknowledged her serving woes have been most likely “an emotional, psychological factor” earlier than underlining that she was fed up with dropping matches that approach.
“I undoubtedly need to get different opinions as a result of, you already know, and in addition I believe it’s generally extra of an emotional, psychological factor as a result of if I am going out on the follow courtroom proper now, I’d make 30 serves in a row. I’ve completed it earlier than. I believe it’s additionally simply sort of a psychological hurdle that I’ve to recover from when it comes with that. However I undoubtedly need to have a look at different issues as a result of I don’t need to lose matches like this anymore,” the 20-year-old mentioned after her US Open exit.
In the identical presser, Gauff defined what she thought was the problem.
“I am going down on my left facet loads on my serve, and it’s one thing I’m conscious of, nevertheless it’s powerful within the second to I suppose attempt to not do it,” she added on the time.
Gauff made a change however then additionally set a unfavorable report
After failing to defend the US Open title, the previous world No. 2 determined to separate with coach Brad Gilbert and rent Matt Daly. When she returned to motion, she received the WTA 1000 event in Beijing and in addition reached the Wuhan semifinal, earlier than dropping to Aryna Sabalenka after blasting a surprising 21 double faults through the match. By doing so, Gauff set the report for probably the most double faults hit in a single WTA match in 2024.
Nevertheless, the American tennis star did not need to be unfavorable afterward. As a substitute, she highlighted that she not too long ago made some adjustments and tweaks to her serve and that she wanted a while to get it going.
“New issues. Yeah, engaged on a brand new factor. It is anticipated. I solely had actually per week to study it, then I went to Beijing. I knew it wasn’t going to be nice. I am truthfully, like, shocked of how nicely I used to be capable of do with it. We weren’t anticipating it. So yeah, I imply, general it is rising pains, ups and downs. Like, vice versa to Beijing. I had a day in between each day to work on it, whereas right here it was sort of back-to-back. I believe it was progressively simply changing into tougher as a result of I received used to getting these reps in between the matches in Beijing,” Gauff defined after the Sabalenka loss.
On the WTA Finals in Riyadh – the place the American ended up profitable all of it – she famous that correcting serve or the rest in mid-season was one thing very problem.
“You sort of need to appropriate it, and also you’re enjoying matches. All the things simply feels contemporary and new. It’s tough, however you bought to consider the long-term and the long term. I really feel like that is the best resolution,” she mentioned.
It is going to be fascinating to see if Gauff can resolve her serving points earlier than the beginning of 2025.
