Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old American tennis sensation and world No. 2, has dazzled fans with her explosive athleticism and unrelenting competitive spirit, but her serve—particularly her second serve—has emerged as a persistent Achilles’ heel. As she prepares for the 2025 Cincinnati Open, a crucial stepping stone to the US Open, legendary coach Rick Macci, who mentored icons like Serena and Venus Williams, has offered a bold solution, claiming Gauff’s serving woes could be resolved in under an hour with the right biomechanical tweaks. With her recent performances, including a staggering 23 double faults in a single match at the Canadian Open, Gauff’s serve has sparked intense debate, but Macci’s confidence in a swift fix has ignited hope for a transformative breakthrough.
Gauff’s 2025 season has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and challenges. Her French Open title, where she outlasted Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 final, cemented her as a two-time Grand Slam champion. She also clinched the China Open and WTA Finals in 2024, surging back to a career-high No. 2 ranking under new coach Matt Daly. Yet, her serve remains a glaring vulnerability. At the Canadian Open in Montreal, Gauff’s 23 double faults against Danielle Collins marked the fifth-highest total in a WTA match, yet she battled through to win 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2). “I just would like to serve how I do in doubles in singles,” Gauff admitted, highlighting her frustration despite her resilience. Her 250 double faults in 41 matches this season lead the WTA Tour, outpacing second-placed Linda Noskova by 57, underscoring the urgency for a solution.
Macci, a USPTA Hall of Famer who coached five former world No. 1s, believes Gauff’s issues stem from biomechanical flaws deeply ingrained in her muscle memory. “Coco and her second serve can be fixed in less than one hour,” he declared on social media, emphasizing that a science-based approach could rewire her technique. He pinpointed her pinpoint stance and improper weight distribution as culprits, noting, “The weight should be behind the right hip, but it’s on the right groin. She can’t load her body properly.” Macci proposes shifting Gauff to a platform stance, a technique he believes would stabilize her serve and unlock its potential. “Coco can have the best serve on tour because her wires are unique and she can jump like a rabbit,” he enthused, suggesting that reprogramming her reflexes from the ground up could turn her serve into a weapon.
Rennae Stubbs, another former coach of Serena Williams, echoed Macci’s concerns, critiquing Gauff’s grip and elbow positioning. “Her grip is wrong. Her elbow gets super low and so close to her body,” Stubbs said on her podcast, warning that these technical flaws could haunt Gauff “forever” under pressure, as Billie Jean King once noted about poor technique breaking down in clutch moments. Stubbs advocates for a consistent kick serve, suggesting Gauff aim for a “7 p.m.” contact point on the ball to generate spin and height, rather than her current “1 p.m.” downward strike that leads to faults. “If she’s double-faulting, she’s hurting herself,” Stubbs added, though she remains optimistic about Gauff’s prospects if these issues are addressed.
Gauff’s coaching transition to Matt Daly in September 2024, after parting ways with Brad Gilbert, has shown promise. Daly, a grip technique expert who developed the Grip MD training device, adjusted Gauff’s serve to a more eastern backhand grip, yielding success in Beijing. “I feel like I have a bit more tools to work with,” Gauff said in Melbourne, reflecting on her progress despite nine double faults in her Australian Open opener against Sofia Kenin. However, Macci insists the off-season is the ideal time for a full overhaul, noting, “When you start winning a little bit, that technical flaw can be camouflaged,” referencing Gauff’s reluctance to make major changes during her 2024 title run.
As Gauff heads into Cincinnati, where she leads the bottom half of a stacked draw alongside Jessica Pegula, her ability to refine her serve could define her US Open campaign. Macci praised her mental toughness, stating, “Coco knows how to survive and thrive. Mentally she is beyond elite,” and highlighted her unmatched speed and athleticism. With Daly’s guidance and Macci’s blueprint, Gauff’s potential to dominate remains tantalizing. “Her overall quickness is number one. Her backbone is number one,” Macci said, predicting she’ll claim the top ranking if her serve becomes an asset. As fans await her Cincinnati opener, the prospect of a one-hour fix could transform Gauff from a gritty champion into an unstoppable force, ready to silence doubters and conquer the tennis world.
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