Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Matt Daly reveals how he feels about American after their shock split ahead of US Open
Coco Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, stunned the tennis world by parting ways with coach Matt Daly just days before the 2025 US Open, announced on August 20, 2025. Daly, who joined Gauff in September 2024, spoke warmly about their time together despite the abrupt split, telling Bounces, “Only have good things to say about Coco, enjoyed working with her.” The move, which saw Gauff replace Daly with biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan while retaining Jean-Christophe Faurel, comes as she aims to address persistent serving issues ahead of the tournament starting August 24.
Daly’s Reflections
Daly, a grip specialist hired after Gauff’s split with Brad Gilbert, confirmed the recent end to their partnership but expressed no bitterness. Their collaboration yielded significant results, including Gauff’s 2024 China Open and WTA Finals titles, and her second Grand Slam at the 2025 French Open, where she defeated Aryna Sabalenka. Daly’s technical focus on Gauff’s serve and forehand initially reduced her double faults from 430 in 2024 to an average of under 4 per match early in 2025. However, recent struggles, including 42 double faults across three matches at the Canadian Open and 16 in a Cincinnati loss to Jasmine Paolini, prompted the change.
The Shock Split
The timing of the split, days before the US Open, raised eyebrows, with tennis legend Rick Macci initially cautioning against removing Daly but later praising the addition of MacMillan as a “career changer.” Gauff, who leads the WTA with 320 double faults in 2025, turned to MacMillan, credited for fixing Sabalenka’s serve in 2022, to refine her biomechanics. Fans on X expressed mixed reactions, with one post stating, “Sad to see Daly go, but Coco’s serve needs MacMillan’s magic” (@TennisFanUSA, August 20, 2025). Gauff has yet to comment publicly on the split.
Looking Ahead
Daly’s positive remarks highlight a professional parting, contrasting the scrutiny faced by athletes like Emma Raducanu over her coaching changes or Luke Littler navigating darts fame. Gauff’s new setup with MacMillan, spotted during practice at Arthur Ashe Stadium, aims to stabilize her serve for a deep US Open run, where she’s seeded third behind Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. As she prepares for her home Grand Slam, where she triumphed in 2023, Daly’s gracious words and Gauff’s bold move signal her determination to reclaim glory in New York.
