Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, enters the 2025 US Open under scrutiny from a Sky Sports expert panel led by Martina Navratilova, who favor rivals Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Victoria Mboko as stronger contenders for the women’s title. Despite Gauff’s recent coaching change to Gavin MacMillan and a new sponsorship with Baker Tilly, her inconsistent 2025 season and persistent serving issues have raised doubts about her ability to shine at Flushing Meadows, starting August 24, 2025.
Expert Predictions and Gauff’s Struggles
Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, tipped Swiatek as the favorite, stating, “Iga Swiatek in the women’s for me, even though she hasn’t had the best summer. The old Iga is back.” Annabel Croft predicted a Sabalenka-Swiatek final, noting, “It’s so difficult to predict where Coco Gauff’s at any one week.” Marion Bartoli and Gigi Salmon also backed Sabalenka, the world No. 1, with Bartoli highlighting the field’s unpredictability. Mats Wilander, on TNT Sport, praised 18-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko as a dark horse after her 6-1, 6-4 upset over Gauff at the Canadian Open.
Gauff’s serve remains her Achilles’ heel, averaging 9.2 double faults per match over her last five outings, including 42 across three Canadian Open matches and 16 in a Cincinnati loss to Jasmine Paolini. Her second-serve win rate of 48.5% trails Sabalenka and Swiatek, who exceed 50%. These struggles led to her split with coaches Matt Daly and Jean-Christophe Faurel, with MacMillan, who fixed Sabalenka’s serve in 2022, brought in to address biomechanical flaws.
Gauff’s Resilience and Preparation
Gauff remains defiant, buoyed by her Baker Tilly partnership, announced on August 18, 2025, to amplify her off-court impact (@cocogauff). She told E! News, “New York is always an event I do well in… The energy is like no other.” Her 2025 highlights include a French Open title, WTA Finals victory, and $37.2 million in earnings, ranking her third among tennis players behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Yet, a first-round Wimbledon loss to Dayana Yastremska and the Montreal upset by Mboko have fueled concerns.
Outlook and Comparisons
The panel’s doubts echo challenges faced by athletes like Emma Raducanu, navigating tough draws, or Luke Littler, handling darts pressure. Swiatek’s Cincinnati title and Sabalenka’s three majors since 2022 bolster their cases, while Mboko’s rise from No. 333 to No. 24 adds intrigue. Gauff, seeded third, faces a manageable early draw but could meet Swiatek in the semifinals. With MacMillan’s technical expertise and the home crowd’s support, Gauff aims to overcome her serving woes and prove the skeptics wrong in her quest for a second US Open crown.
