Coco Gauff’s Struggles Since French Open Triumph

So, is it finally time to panic?

The Pressure of Being a Prodigy

The gift and curse of being a prodigy, especially in the United States, is that you never leave the spotlight. While that brings opportunities earlier than most players ever get, it also means the pressure to win and maintain the high standards you’ve set is relentless.

The same is true for Coco Gauff.

For 99% of players, Gauff’s 2025 season would be a career year. She sits in the Top 3, owns a Major title, and has a win percentage of around 75%. Those numbers aren’t just good, they’re great. But because this is Coco Gauff, arguably the face of the women’s game right now, panic buttons are being pressed and alarm bells are ringing all across the tennis world.

The Technical Struggles: Serve and Forehand

Instead of paying attention to the outside noise, Gauff’s focus should be on how a 21-year-old can improve her game. Her weaknesses are clear.

In her last 12 matches post-French Open, Gauff has averaged a staggering 9.3 double faults per match, a rate simply unsustainable against elite opponents. Double faults are not new to her game, but the concerning part is that they have steadily increased year by year.

And yet, the serve isn’t even the biggest issue. The forehand, built with a long, loopy takeback and an extreme western grip, requires elite precision and ball control. That level of consistency is something Gauff has struggled to maintain. Unlike the serve, which is entirely in her control, the forehand is an active stroke that demands improvisation and depends on the opponent’s shot. That makes fixing it even more challenging.

Perspective, Patience, and Potential

Like every great champion who confronts adversity, Gauff has taken action. She recently brought in biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan to help address these issues. While the results haven’t been immediate, this is a long-term investment that should ultimately pay off.

Tennis moves quickly when you’re winning,but feels painfully slow when the results go against you. Gauff is experiencing the latter: low on confidence, emotional on court, and at times showing negative body language. But perspective is crucial; at just 21 years old, she is already a two-time Major champion, has won on different surfaces, and is firmly established inside the Top 5.

The most remarkable part? Gauff has achieved all of this despite glaring technical flaws. If she can minimize those weaknesses, even partially, the sky could be the limit.

For the rest of the field, that should be a terrifying thought.