Coco Gauff has enjoyed a strong start to her 2026 Australian Open campaign.
The American has yet to drop a set at the tournament, having secured comfortable victories over both Kamilla Rakhimova and Olga Danilovic.
Gauff, seeded third at Melbourne Park this year, will take on compatriot Hailey Baptiste in the third round.
Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, has kept a close eye on the US number one’s performances Down Under, and has noticed a change in her serve.
Rick Macci comments on Coco Gauff’s serve in Melbourne
Gauff has struggled with her serve a lot over the past year, and made a change in her coaching team last season amid the issues.
Prior to the 2025 US Open, she parted ways with Matt Daly and appointed biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, who had previously worked with Aryna Sabalenka.
At the 2026 Australian Open so far, Gauff has kept the double fault count relatively low, and in her match with Danilovic, she recorded a first serve win percentage of 84%.
Analysing her performance, Macci took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to say: “Coco’s serve is bigger because she is pulling the trigger.
“The technical modifications have been rewired, and many double faults have expired. Fasten [your] seat belt as her game has more glue, and she is the fastest in the shoe.”
Coco Gauff’s head-to-head record against Hailey Baptiste
Gauff has only faced her next opponent, Baptiste, once before at WTA Tour-level competitions.
The two met in the round of 16 at the Washington Open back in 2023, clashing in front of a home crowd.
There, Gauff ultimately emerged victorious, winning in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4.
Should she beat Baptiste again, Gauff will advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open for the fifth time in her career.
She made the quarterfinals last year, and recorded her best finish in 2024, when she reached the semifinals.
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