Coco Gauff’s summer has not gone to plan since capturing her second Grand Slam title.
After clinching the French Open title in June, Gauff has struggled for form on the WTA Tour, losing to players ranked much lower than herself.
Gauff was stunned in straight sets by Dayana Yastremska in the Wimbledon first round before being knocked out of the Canadian Open by 18-year-old Victoria Mboko.
At the Cincinnati Open, Gauff was defeated by 2024 Wimbledon finalist Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals.
One notable figure, who has coached Maria Sharapova, has weighed in on Gauff’s recent struggles.
Rick Macci says Coco Gauff is at a ‘career crossroads’ with her second serve and forehand
Legendary tennis coach Rick Macci has a wealth of knowledge to share after years of coaching some of tennis’ most high-profile figures.
The 70-year-old coached Serena and Venus Williams while they were growing up in Compton, California. Since then, Macci has also worked with Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati and Andy Roddick.
Macci, a regular contributor to tennis discourse, has discussed Gauff’s ‘career crossroads’ ahead of the US Open, suggesting she needs a ‘science-based plan’ to fix her second serve and forehand.
On X [Twitter] Macci said: “Coco will be OK as she fights and knows how to play. But to ever breathe rare air she has to address the alarming red flare.
“She is at a career crossroad[s] with the second serve and forehand but needs a science-based plan.
“This will not magically go away and bubbles up more under extreme pressure that particular day.”
Coco Gauff’s second-serve struggles
When comparing Coco Gauff’s serve to her rivals, it is evident she has a major issue.
Over her last five matches, Gauff has averaged a whopping 9.2 double faults per match. Elena Rybakina is second on the list, averaging 4.2 double faults over the same period.
Gauff also has the lowest winning percentage on second-serve points over her last five matches. She has won 48.5 per cent of her second-serve points.
Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina have all averaged over 50 per cent in this category across their last five matches.
The American must correct this issue ahead of the US Open, or she may continue to struggle.
