Coco Gauff’s Serve Struggles: When New Techniques Meet Old Habits

Just when you thought tennis coaching changes couldn’t get any more dramatic, Gauff decided to shake things up by parting ways with Matt Daly after barely a year together. Because apparently, in tennis, a year is basically a lifetime commitment these days.

Enter Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics specialist who’s been tasked with the Herculean job of fixing Gauff’s serve. And boy, does it need fixing. We’re talking about a player who managed to rack up a staggering 320 double faults in just 47 matches this season. That’s an average of 6.8 double faults per match, which is about as reliable as a weather forecast.

The irony? Gauff actually served 10 double faults against Tomljanovic, including one on match point. Talk about adding insult to injury.

Mental Gymnastics on Arthur Ashe Stadium

“The practice week was tough because I was spending a lot of time on court literally serving until, like, my shoulder was hurting,” Gauff confessed after her US Open match. Nothing says “confidence boost” quite like practicing until you’re physically in pain, right?

But here’s where it gets really interesting. Gauff admitted that the real battle wasn’t just physical – it was mental. She found herself constantly fighting the urge to revert to her old serving habits, especially during the tighter moments of the match.

“I think for me it’s trying not to go back to old habits in those tighter moments, and I think I did that today, especially in the third set,” she explained. It’s like trying to remember to use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth while simultaneously trying to win a Grand Slam. No pressure there.

The Numbers Don’t Lie (Unfortunately)

Let’s talk statistics, because they’re about as brutal as a New York winter. Gauff hammered out 59 unforced errors to go with just 29 winners. That’s not exactly the kind of ratio that screams “championship form,” but hey, at least she’s consistent in her inconsistency.

The serve speeds were particularly telling. Early in the match, there was a noticeable drop in pace as Gauff tried to implement her new technique. It was like watching someone learn to drive stick shift in rush hour traffic – technically possible, but definitely not smooth.

Old Habits Die Hard (Literally)

“Honestly, that third set was the definition of that. That game where I served it at 5-4, that was definitely like an old habit. The next game was a lot better,” Gauff reflected. At least she’s self-aware enough to recognize when she’s sabotaging herself, which is more than we can say for some players.

The frustrating part for Gauff has to be knowing that she had multiple opportunities to close out the match in straight sets. She had chances to go up a double break several times, but couldn’t quite seal the deal. It’s like having the keys to the car but forgetting how to start the engine.

What’s Next for Gauff’s Serve Experiment?

Up next, Gauff faces Paris Olympic silver medallist Donna Vekic, who also needed three sets to get through her first round. At least Gauff won’t be the only one dealing with some early tournament rust.

The real question is whether MacMillan’s biomechanical wizardry will have enough time to work its magic. Changing a serve mid-tournament is like trying to renovate your house while you’re still living in it – theoretically possible, but definitely not recommended.

“I think hopefully this time next year I’ll be serving much better,” Gauff said with what we can only assume was a mix of hope and desperation. Because nothing says confidence quite like projecting your success a full year into the future.

The Pressure Cooker Reality

What makes Gauff’s situation even more challenging is that she’s doing all this experimentation while her ranking has dropped from world number two to three behind Iga Swiatek. It’s hard enough to rebuild your serve in private; doing it while the tennis world watches your every move is like trying to perform surgery in a fishbowl.

The 21-year-old admitted the whole process has been “mentally exhausting,” which is probably the understatement of the tournament. Imagine trying to rewire your brain while simultaneously trying to defend a Grand Slam title. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin.

But here’s the thing about Gauff – she’s got the kind of mental toughness that made her a Grand Slam champion in the first place. She managed to gut out this win despite serving a double fault on match point, which takes a special kind of resilience.

Whether MacMillan can work his biomechanical magic remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Gauff’s journey back to serving consistency is going to be one hell of a ride to watch.