Coco Gauff has been advised to sit out the rest of the season following her US Open loss to Naomi Osaka.
It was a one-sided contest from the start, with Gauff struggling to find her rhythm. The 6-3, 6-2 result didn’t fully capture how much control Osaka had throughout the match, as she never even faced a break point.
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Gauff’s performance was marked by another high number of unforced errors, something that has become a recurring issue in her game.
She’s acknowledged the need for change and has already begun working on adjustments.
The next few months will be important in shaping how she responds and adapts to these challenges.
Rennae Stubbs says Coco Gauff should sit out the rest of the season after US Open exit
Speaking on her own podcast, Rennae Stubbs, a former Grand Slam doubles champion, suggested that there may not be enough time for Gauff to make the necessary changes during the season.
Stubbs made it clear she wasn’t taking aim at MacMillan, saying: “Gavin has come in to try and do his best to correct some of the stuff, but that is impossible to do in a week. It’s impossible.
“Especially when they are really egregious. Her grip and technique is really tough to change in a week.”
She went on: “I think she should take the entire rest of the year off. The whole rest of the year off and break every single thing down.”
The pressure has increased for Gauff since she became world number one last year. Although she secured an impressive 15 consecutive wins earlier this year, her struggles have been more apparent lately, particularly with an early exit at Roland-Garros and now at Flushing Meadows.
Gauff brought in Gavin MacMillan just before the US Open, but any significant results from that partnership are expected to take time – potentially months or even years – before noticeable improvements are seen.
Coco Gauff told to skip the rest of the year after US Open loss
Speaking on her own podcast, Rennae Stubbs shared that she doesn’t believe there’s enough time for Gauff to make the changes she needs.
Stubbs didn’t hold back in her assessment, recommending a drastic step that she believes would help address the issues.
“Coco is not comfortable. She is fighting demons, she is fighting her serve and her forehand,” Stubbs said.
Coco Gauff definitely needs time away from tournaments
While taking the entire year off may seem excessive, smarter scheduling could certainly benefit Gauff as she works through these adjustments.
The constant pressure of trying to win matches made meaningful progress nearly impossible during this tournament stretch. In fact, it looked as though staying in the draw was having an adverse effect rather than providing valuable experience.
Taking extended time off isn’t necessarily required but skipping certain events and prioritising practice sessions with MacMillan might prove more valuable than additional match play at this stage of her development.
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