Coco Gauff’s turbulent run on the WTA Tour has ignited plenty of speculation, and now, a respected voice from the sport is weighing in with a bold theory.
Since her quarterfinal finish at the Australian Open, Gauff—currently ranked World No. 3—has endured early exits in Doha, Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami. While her explosive baseline game remains a weapon, her serve has become a glaring weakness.
So what’s going wrong?
Former world No. 9 Andrea Petkovic believes she knows the answer—and it may lie in Gauff’s muscle memory.
“She’s reverting to her old grip” — Petkovic’s Take
Speaking on her podcast Becker Petkovic, the retired German star suggested Gauff’s serve is faltering because she’s unintentionally slipping back to her original grip—undoing months of progress made under new coach and grip specialist Matt Daly.
“My theory is the grip has gone back to the old one,” Petkovic explained. “When you change a grip, if you’re not constantly reminded, muscle memory takes over. It just doesn’t work at the moment.”
Last year, Gauff split from longtime coach Brad Gilbert and brought in Daly, which initially led to an improvement—cutting down her double faults significantly. But those gains appear to be fading.
The Stats Tell the Story
- 22 double faults vs. Moyuka Uchijima in Indian Wells
- 12 against Magda Linette in Miami
- 8 in a loss to Belinda Bencic
While she survived the clash with Uchijima, Petkovic flagged it as “unsustainable,” warning that even wins are now coming with major warning signs.
Psychological and Technical Regression
Beyond technique, Petkovic says the issue may be mental as well.
“Changing grips mid-career is like rewiring your brain,” she noted. “Under pressure, old habits come back unless they’re drilled in over and over.”
With Gauff’s serve long being a topic of scrutiny, any backslide could become a psychological hurdle, especially in crunch moments.
What Lies Ahead for Coco?
Gauff has opted out of the Billie Jean King Cup and will next compete at the Stuttgart Open starting April 14. It’s a high-stakes return, as she’s set to share the draw with World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 2 Iga Świątek.
Petkovic’s parting message is clear: unless Gauff and her team recommit to the technical tweaks, the serve issue could continue to derail her momentum.
All eyes now turn to Stuttgart. Will Team Gauff double down on Daly’s plan—or are more changes on the horizon?
