Coco Gauff produced her best run since the French Open to capture the Wuhan Open title on Sunday.
The 21-year-old star had struggled for form since winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open in June.
However, since hiring biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan, Gauff’s performances have certainly improved.
Gauff’s biggest concern has been her serve: she has hit 405 double faults across the season, 125 more than Ekaterina Alexandrova in second place.
Although not perfect, her serving was certainly more consistent in Wuhan than it was during the North American hard-court swing.
Rick Macci says the changes Gauff has made to her serve are a ‘career saver’
Rick Macci, the famed coach of Serena and Venus Williams, has weighed in on the recent developments of Gauff’s serve.
Macci, who has also coached Andy Roddick and Maria Sharapova, has noticed some significant technical changes to the Gauff serve.
On X [Twitter], Macci said: “The science-based changes in Coco serve are a career saver.
“The start/cocking phase/spine angle/launch point is 100 per cent different, and now the tossing arm is in the optimal place, and the Delray Dart will have less doubles and on the first [serve], loaded to hit an ace.”
Gauff continued to make history in Wuhan, becoming the first woman in the Open Era to win her first nine hard-court finals.
Her next tournament is expected to be the WTA Finals, taking place in November. Gauff is the defending champion.
Is Coco Gauff a contender for the Australian Open title?
Asking whether Coco Gauff is a contender for a Grand Slam title may seem like a redundant question. However, when taking into account Gauff’s form before the Asian swing, this is a fair question to consider.
The American seems to have found her spark again. Despite not playing at the peak of her powers, she has managed to win a WTA 1000 title.
If Gauff can truly revitalise her serve during the latter portion of 2025, she will most certainly be a serious contender for the Australian Open crown.
Frankly, when Gauff is in her best form, only Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka possess the tools to defeat her.
