Coco Gauff has made a significant change ahead of the US Open, where she will be looking to win her second title at Flushing Meadows.
This season, Gauff won her first Roland Garros title in Paris, impressing on clay. It clearly showed her potential when playing well over several matches.
But since then, her form has dropped off quite a bit. She suffered early exits in Berlin, Wimbledon and Montreal.
Those losses were down to issues with her serve and an increase in unforced errors – problems not often seen from someone of her calibre.
She needed to make some adjustments, but few expected Gauff to completely overhaul her coaching staff right before the US Open.
Rick Macci defends Gavin MacMillan appointment
Most of the reaction has not been about the decision itself, but when it happened.
It was a bold move to make so close to such a crucial point in the season, especially with Gauff heading back to New York as America’s top player.
It caught everyone off guard, and opinions are still forming.
But Rick Macci, who coached both Serena and Venus Williams, sees it as an obvious choice.
He points out that her serve had already become an issue due to ‘non science based information’.
Gauff’s serve had become a clear weakness, and Macci says both she and her father recognised that something drastic needed to be done.
The big question now is whether this move pays off at Flushing Meadows.
Coco Gauff’s results since the French Open
It is a period of her career that was becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
Her decision to switch coaches, and how quickly she did it, was probably influenced by the fact that she isn’t in good form coming into the US Open this year.
There is very little for her to lose at this point from where she sits.
| Match | Round | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Berlin Open | Second Round | Wang Xinyu | Loss | 3-6, 3-6 |
| Wimbledon | First Round | Dayana Yastremska | Loss | 6-7, 1-6 |
| Canadian Open | Second Round | Danielle Collins | Win | 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 |
| Canadian Open | Third Round | Veronika Kudermetova | Win | 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 |
| Canadian Open | Fourth Round | Victoria Mboko | Loss | 1-6, 4-6 |
| Cincinnati Open | Second Round | Wang Xinyu | Win | 6-3, 6-2 |
| Cincinnati Open | Fourth Round | Lucia Bronzetti | Win | 6-2, 6-4 |
| Cincinnati Open | Quarter-final | Jasmine Paolini | Loss | 6-2, 4-6, 3-6 |
Her preparation for this year’s event has not gone nearly as well, with early exits in Berlin and Wimbledon, followed by disappointing performances at both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati.
Gauff has explained why she brought Gavin MacMillan on board when she did, but it will take a significant turnaround in form for her to become a real title threat again.
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