Coco Gauff Faces Serving Struggles at WTA Finals Amid Season of Change
Coco Gauff is navigating a challenging stretch at the WTA Finals in Riyadh today, marked by persistent issues with her second serve despite a successful season that included a Grand Slam title.
During yesterday’s opening match against Jessica Pegula, Gauff experienced a critical lapse, committing three consecutive double faults while holding a set point at 6-5 in the second set. This sequence highlighted a recurring problem for the 21-year-old American, whose second serve has become increasingly unreliable. According to Tennis Abstract, Gauff’s double-fault rate is 9.9%, significantly higher than any other player in the top 50, and a key factor limiting her potential.
Gauff’s struggles follow a triumphant win at the French Open in June, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka to claim her second Grand Slam title. However, outside of a title run at the Wuhan Open last month, the subsequent five months have been difficult. In a bid to address the issue, Gauff made a significant coaching change just days before the US Open, bringing in biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to overhaul her service technique, focusing on her knee bend and head position. This move, while unusual so close to a major tournament, underscores Gauff’s commitment to long-term development – a crucial aspect for sustained success in professional tennis, as detailed by the WTA official website.
While Gauff’s athleticism, defensive skills, and return game are strengths – she currently leads the tour in return game success at 46.8% – improving her second serve is paramount. The situation mirrors Aryna Sabalenka’s own serving difficulties a few years ago, which she successfully addressed, lowering her double-fault rate to 3.1% this year. Gauff still has an opportunity to advance from the group stages of the WTA Finals, but her long-term trajectory hinges on resolving this critical weakness, as explored in analysis of top tennis players’ techniques by Tennis.com.
Team officials stated that Gauff will continue working with MacMillan to refine her technique, with the hope of seeing sustained improvements in the coming months.
