As the clay courts of Rome beckon for the 2025 Italian Open, Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old American tennis prodigy, finds herself in a daunting position. Fresh off a stellar Madrid Open campaign where she reached the final, Gauff is navigating a treacherous draw in Italy that could test her resilience and expose a persistent weakness in her game. Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, has sounded the alarm, pinpointing Gauff’s second serve as a “fatal flaw” that could derail her ambitions against top-tier opponents. “Coco will be fine as she is a fighter and has turbo jets in her shoes,” Macci said, but he cautioned that her second serve, “not connected properly,” remains a biomechanical issue that falters under pressure.
Gauff’s 2025 season has been a blend of brilliance and frustration. The World No. 3 kicked off the year with a United Cup title, leading Team USA to victory, and capped 2024 with a WTA Finals triumph in Riyadh, defeating Iga Swiatek and Zheng Qinwen. Her Madrid run, where she toppled Swiatek in the semifinals before falling to Aryna Sabalenka, showcased her clay-court evolution, pushing her ranking above Jessica Pegula to become America’s top woman. Yet, her Italian Open draw is a gauntlet. After a bye, she faces a potential second-round clash with in-form Elena Rybakina, followed by possible matchups against Ons Jabeur, Sabalenka, or Swiatek. “When you’re confident, technical flaws can hide,” Macci noted, but warned, “when you get nervous, they bubble up and opponents seek it.” Gauff’s 2-11 record against Swiatek, including straight-set losses in Rome and Paris last year, underscores the challenge.
The second serve issue Macci highlights has haunted Gauff in critical moments. At the 2024 US Open, she racked up 19 double faults in a third-round loss to Emma Navarro. In Wuhan, 21 double faults handed Sabalenka a comeback win. Even in Madrid, her eight double faults against Sabalenka were a glaring liability. “Coco has untapped potential and can get to number one and most of all stay there,” Macci asserted, but only if her second serve becomes “an asset.” He believes the fix is straightforward, claiming it could be “rewired” in under an hour, yet the persistent flaw suggests deeper technical or mental hurdles. Gauff’s team, now led by coach Matt Daly, has focused on tweaking her grip and mechanics, but the results remain inconsistent.
Despite these setbacks, Gauff’s athleticism and competitive spirit are undeniable. “Her make-up speed is as good as the sport has ever seen,” Macci praised, noting her ability to chase down balls and dictate points with her elite backhand. Her Madrid performance, where she dropped just one set before the final, proved her clay-court credentials. A semifinalist in Rome last year, Gauff has a career-high 16 WTA 1000 wins before age 21, surpassing Caroline Wozniacki. A deep run in Italy could propel her to No. 2, but the draw demands precision. Rybakina’s power, Jabeur’s craft, and Swiatek’s clay dominance will exploit any serving lapses. “I’m looking at dresses,” Gauff quipped before the WTA Finals, hinting at a refreshed mindset, but Rome will test whether her technical adjustments hold under fire.
Macci’s critique is not a condemnation but a call to action. He sees Gauff as “the best pure athlete on the tour,” with a first serve that could one day hit 130 mph. Her forehand, another area of concern, has shown improvement, but it’s the second serve that opponents target. “Bad technique breaks down under pressure,” said Rennae Stubbs, another of Williams’ ex-coaches, echoing Macci’s concerns. Gauff’s response to adversity—evident in her 2023 US Open title and her ability to rebound from a first-round Wimbledon loss to win Cincinnati and New York—suggests she can address this flaw. “Defeat makes me want to work even harder,” she once said, a mantra that could define her Italian Open campaign.
As Gauff steps onto the Foro Italico, the stakes are high. A strong showing could cement her as a favorite for the French Open, where she won doubles in 2024 and reached the singles final in 2022. But the ghosts of double faults loom large. With Macci’s words ringing in her ears and a brutal draw ahead, Gauff must channel her fighter’s spirit to silence doubters and transform her second serve from a liability into a weapon. Rome is not just a tournament—it’s a proving ground for a champion determined to claim her place at the pinnacle of tennis.
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