Coco Gauff’s 1st Match With a New Serve Coach at the US Open is a Struggle But Also a Win

August 28, 2025

Coco Gauff advanced to the second round of the U.S. Open with a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory over Ajla Tomljanovic despite continuing struggles with her serve, including 10 double faults. The defending champion recently enlisted biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to help address her serving issues, which have been a persistent problem this season with 320 double faults prior to this tournament. Despite the serving challenges, Gauff's excellent court coverage, strong backhand, and net play ultimately secured her victory in a nearly three-hour match.

Who is affected

Coco Gauff, the No. 3-seeded defending U.S. Open champion
Ajla Tomljanovic, the 79th-ranked Australian player who was defeated
Gavin MacMillan, the biomechanics expert newly added to Gauff's coaching team
U.S. Open spectators and tennis fans watching the match

What action is being taken

Gauff is working with newly-hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to improve her problematic serve
Gauff is practicing intensively on her serve, "literally serving until, like, my shoulder was hurting"
Gauff is competing in the U.S. Open tournament as the defending champion
Gauff is adjusting her service motion and speed throughout matches (varying from 88 mph in the first set to 101 mph in the third set)

Why it matters

Gauff is the defending U.S. Open champion, having won her first Grand Slam title at this tournament in 2023
Gauff has the most double faults on the women's tour this season (320), which is more than 100 more than any other player
This was Gauff's first Grand Slam match since a first-round exit at Wimbledon in July
Gauff has a chance to become the world No. 1 for the first time if she advances far enough in the tournament

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article, though it's implied Gauff will continue in the tournament having advanced to the second round.

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint