Coco Gauff fires her coach days before U.S. Open in bizarre move

Coco Gauff has reportedly fired her coach less than a week before the start of the U.S. Open at Flushing Meadows.

Gauff parted ways with coach Matthew Daly, according to D’Arcy Maine of ESPN. Daly confirmed this to tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg, saying the change had been made “recently.”

Gauff retained her other coach, JC Faurel, and has also brought in biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan as part of her team. MacMillan previously worked with Aryna Sabalenka while Sabalenka was having issues with her serve.

That probably is not coincidence, as Gauff has had a difficult summer with her serving. Since winning the French Open, she has failed to replicate that success, including a very early exit at Wimbledon. During the Canadian Open earlier this month, she accumulated 42 double faults in just three matches.

Despite those issues, it is highly unusual for a high-profile player to make a coaching change on the eve of a major tournament. The first round of the U.S. Open starts Sunday, and expectations will be high considering she won the event two years ago.

Gauff is no stranger to midseason coaching changes. The current world No. 3 also dismissed coach Brad Gilbert after last year’s U.S. Open, at which point she began working with Daly.