Serena Williams’ ex-coach worried Coco Gauff has fatal flaw in her game after brutal Italian Open draw
Coco Gauff is slowly getting back to her best but familiar issues continue to the plague the 21-year-old. The World No.4 reached her first final of the year at the Madrid Open but was undone by errors as she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Gauff was egded out by Sabalenka in the endGetty It was a thrilling contest between Sabalenka and Gauff with the American putting up a fightback in the second set. Gauff recovered from 3-0 down to make it 3-3 but a but a double fault gave her rival the victory and title. Service issues are a known flaw of the youngster’s game, and it’s an issue that Serena Williams‘ ex-coach Rick Macci insists must be ironed out if she is to win the big titles. “Tweaking/ Speaking will not solve the double fault leaking,” he wrote on X. “Coco has all the inner qualities to be number One. Her wheels/ fighting spirit and determination is so special. “But tennis is such a technical sport more than any other as the muscle memory you grooved in the beginning that alone might stop you from winning.” Macci pointing out these flaws is justified, many of the 2023 US Open champion’s losses this season have stemmed from errors in her serve. She had six double faults in her quarter-final defeat to Paula Badosa at the Australian Open in January, before committing seven in her first-round exit at the Qatar Open in February. While Gauff’s eight and 12 double faults in defeats at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, respectively, undid her efforts at the sunshine double. However, despite the loss to Sabalenka, there is much to take from her efforts at the Madrid Open. Gauff was making a comeback before Sabalenka regained controlGetty Gauff hailed Sabalenka for her performanceGetty Macci coached both Serena and Venus Williams when they were youngGETTY Gauff’s demolition of Iga Swiatek on clay — a surface the Pole has dominated in recent years — will serve as a reminder she can beat anyone when at her flying best. “I was aggressive and played with margin,” Gauff said after her victory. “Obviously on clay she’s a different player, but clay is one of my better surfaces too, and I thought if I can beat her on hard I can beat her on clay.” Next up for Gauff is the Italian Open — the last event before the French Open kicks off. The draw hasn’t been kind to her as Sabalenka is a potential semi-final test and she is projected to meet teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals. A brutal draw may be the best warm-up she can get as she bids to win the French Open for the first time in her career. Gauff is already a champion at Roland Garros in the doubles, with the closest she has come to singles success being her 2022 final defeat to Swiatek.
Coco Gauff is slowly getting back to her best but familiar issues continue to the plague the 21-year-old.
The World No.4 reached her first final of the year at the Madrid Open but was undone by errors as she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets.
It was a thrilling contest between Sabalenka and Gauff with the American putting up a fightback in the second set.
Gauff recovered from 3-0 down to make it 3-3 but a but a double fault gave her rival the victory and title.
Service issues are a known flaw of the youngster’s game, and it’s an issue that Serena Williams‘ ex-coach Rick Macci insists must be ironed out if she is to win the big titles.
“Tweaking/ Speaking will not solve the double fault leaking,” he wrote on X.
“Coco has all the inner qualities to be number One. Her wheels/ fighting spirit and determination is so special.
“But tennis is such a technical sport more than any other as the muscle memory you grooved in the beginning that alone might stop you from winning.”
Macci pointing out these flaws is justified, many of the 2023 US Open champion’s losses this season have stemmed from errors in her serve.
She had six double faults in her quarter-final defeat to Paula Badosa at the Australian Open in January, before committing seven in her first-round exit at the Qatar Open in February.
While Gauff’s eight and 12 double faults in defeats at Indian Wells and the Miami Open, respectively, undid her efforts at the sunshine double.
However, despite the loss to Sabalenka, there is much to take from her efforts at the Madrid Open.
Gauff’s demolition of Iga Swiatek on clay — a surface the Pole has dominated in recent years — will serve as a reminder she can beat anyone when at her flying best.
“I was aggressive and played with margin,” Gauff said after her victory.
“Obviously on clay she’s a different player, but clay is one of my better surfaces too, and I thought if I can beat her on hard I can beat her on clay.”
Next up for Gauff is the Italian Open — the last event before the French Open kicks off.
The draw hasn’t been kind to her as Sabalenka is a potential semi-final test and she is projected to meet teenage sensation Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
A brutal draw may be the best warm-up she can get as she bids to win the French Open for the first time in her career.
Gauff is already a champion at Roland Garros in the doubles, with the closest she has come to singles success being her 2022 final defeat to Swiatek.
