Nick Kyrgios has offered his coaching services to Coco Gauff after her exit from the 2024 US Open. The Australian’s gesture follows in the wake of intense scrutiny over Gauff’s continued partnership with coach Brad Gilbert.
Gauff’s title defense at the New York Major ended in a devastating 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss to compatriot Emma Navarro in the fourth round. The 20-year-old was far from her best during the contest, as evidenced by her 60 unforced errors and 19 double faults during crucial moments of the match.Following Coco Gauff’s shock exit, fans began urging the American to part ways with her coach Brad Gilbert, a sentiment that has been building over the course of her lackluster season. Although Gilbert has previously coached the likes of Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, fans argued that his partnership with Gauff was detrimental to her success.
One user advised the 20-year-old to “sack” Gilbert, asserting that her game has “regressed” since they began working together.
“My honest advice to @CocoGauff is to sack @bgtennisnation. He became Gauff head coach in November 2023 and her game has regressed since then. Brad loves himself more than anyone else and that doesn’t work if you are a Head Coach,” the fan posted on X.
Another user proposed Nick Kyrgios as a potential replacement for Gilbert, with the Australian himself chiming in to express his willingness to coach Coco Gauff.
“I’d coach her,” he commented.
“Hard for me to say because Brad Gilbert is sitting here” – Serena Williams’ ex-coach criticizes Coco Gauff’s ‘bad’ technique after US Open 4R exit
The criticism of Coco Gauff’s game after her loss in the fourth round of the 2024 US Open was not limited to fans. Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs also lambasted the 20-year-old’s “bad” technique, doing so in the presence of her coach Brad Gilbert.
In an ESPN conversation with Gilbert shortly after Gauff’s loss, Stubbs questioned the 20-year-old’s lack of confidence and identified her second serve as a “problem.”
“Where is Coco’s confidence?” Stubbs questioned. “There’s no second serve, that’s the sign. And that’s a problem.”
Although Rennae Stubbs admitted that it was difficult to make such a harsh assessment of Gauff’s game in the presence of her coach Brad Gilbert, she emphasized that the American’s poor technique was prone to breaking down under pressure.
“So under pressure, bad technique breaks down and her technique is…hard for me to say because Brad [Gilbert] is sitting here…but her technique, the elbow, is too low, the grip is a little weird as well. So it’s hard for her to get that nice first serve and then the same or similar second serve,” she said.
Meanwhile, Coco Gauff herself admitted that while her loss was “disappointing,” she wouldn’t “beat herself up” about it and expressed confidence in her ability to bounce back strongly.
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