Coco Gauff’s double faults raise fresh coaching questions
Coco Gauff’s double-fault troubles showed up again in her opening match in Rome. The two-time Grand Slam champion was up 5-3 when she double-faulted early in the second set against Tereza Valentova.
Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images Coco Gauff’s double-fault troubles showed up again in her opening match in Rome. The two-time Grand Slam champion was up 5-3 when she double-faulted early in the second set against Tereza Valentova. Commentating for Sky Sports, Liam Broady explained why he didn’t like how Gauff reacted to the mistake.
Liam Broady concerned by Coco Gauff’s reaction to serving mistakes Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP via Getty Images “I don’t like that self-talk, I have to say,” said Broady. “You always do this; it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. “You have done this, you don’t always do it.
“You’ve got to stay strong; the second you give in to those inner voices, it’s big, big trouble. ” Gauff has had long-standing difficulties with her serve and hit a tipping point in 2025. She turned to Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics specialist, just before the US Open in an attempt to address the issue.
Progress was gradual, but there were signs of improvement at first. But then came another rough patch during the Middle Eastern swing. After double-faulting again during her semi-final loss to Elina Svitolina in Dubai, Gauff voiced her frustration directly at MacMillan: “I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last six months, and it’s not getting any better.