Is Coco Gauff a truly elite player?

Coco Gauff has reached heights that most players never will. Her US Open triumph wasn’t a fluke or a fortunate draw, she was genuinely exceptional during that run. But greatness in tennis isn’t measured by peaks alone. It’s measured by consistency, by the ability to bring that level repeatedly against anyone, anywhere. And that’s where Gauff’s story becomes complicated.

The 2026 Australian Open provided the starkest example yet. Elina Svitolina dismantled the American in straight sets, 6-1 6-2, with both sets wrapped up in under thirty minutes. The scoreline was brutal. The statistics were worse. Three winners against twenty-six unforced errors across fifteen games. That’s nearly two unforced errors per game.

It wasn’t just a bad loss. It was a window into a deeper question about what Gauff is and what she might become.

The Best Athlete Playing the Wrong Sport

What makes Gauff special has almost nothing to do with tennis technique. She’s the best pure athlete on tour, and it’s not particularly close. If you ran every player through a comprehensive fitness assessment — speed, endurance, agility, raw athleticism — Gauff would finish first without breaking a sweat.

That athleticism is a weapon against most of the draw. She becomes an impenetrable wall, tracking down everything, extending points until her opponent cracks. Unless you possess exceptional baseline craft, you’re not breaking through. She’ll be on every ball, forcing you to hit one more shot than you’re capable of executing cleanly.

The problem emerges when athleticism stops being enough. Against players who are fundamentally superior at tennis, the Swiateks and Sabalenkas of the world, she has been exposed. These players don’t need Gauff to make mistakes. They can force them. And when Gauff has to win through superior shot-making rather than superior fitness, the results are often disappointing.

Let’s be direct about this: tennis-wise, she’s not elite. The technique, the execution, the intangibles, none of it reaches the level her athleticism suggests it should. Could she develop those elements? Certainly. Has she managed to do so despite years of effort? Not yet.

Among the top players, her game is by far the least aesthetically refined because there simply isn’t much there. That forehand is genuinely problematic, easily the worst in the top ten and arguably among the worst in the top twenty. She’s attempted multiple corrections over the years, working with different coaches. Nothing has truly solved the issue. And until something does, these kinds of performances will keep happening.

When Patience Becomes Poison

The Svitolina match was particularly instructive because it highlighted the specific type of player who gives Gauff nightmares. Svitolina isn’t a power hitter who will try to blast Gauff off the court. She’s steady, relentless, fights for every ball, and makes you execute repeatedly. Gauff needed to beat Svitolina with her racquet, not her legs. That didn’t happen. Svitolina remained patient, played her game, and watched as Gauff self-destructed with nearly two unforced errors per game. The match was essentially over before it began.

To be fair, this was one of Gauff’s worst performances in recent memory. She’s capable of much better, and a more competitive version of her probably makes that match interesting. But the result also exposed something fundamental: the lack of meaningful improvement in her game. While her athleticism allows her to coast against most opponents, against elite competition it won’t suffice. And it certainly won’t suffice consistently.

A frustrating Reality

What comes next is genuinely difficult to predict. On one hand, Gauff’s baseline level is good enough to make her one of the best players in the world. That alone is remarkable and speaks to just how exceptional her athleticism is. On the other hand, despite winning two Grand Slams, she hasn’t developed into the elite player she has the potential to become.

That’s the truly frustrating part. At her absolute peak, with everything clicking, Gauff would be the best player in the world without question. The physical tools are there. The mental fortitude exists. The work ethic is unquestionable. But the tennis itself isn’t clicking. And it’s not for lack of trying.

Everything Gauff has achieved is a testament to her dedication and relentless work. But until she addresses the glaring weaknesses in her game, particularly that forehand, she can’t be considered consistently elite. She could be. The hope remains that she will be. There’s still time for that development to happen.

But some have started to wonder whether it actually will. After performances like the one against Svitolina, it’s not just a valid question to ask. It’s becoming an urgent one.