“Dropped Out of That Top-Tier”- Coco Gauff’s Miami Open Setback Raises Alarm for Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach
Coco Gauff’s Miami Open Setback Sparks Concerns from Serena Williams’ Former Coach
Coco Gauff’s ongoing struggles with her serve and forehand continue to be a hot topic in tennis circles. Renowned coach Rick Macci once predicted that refining these elements could propel her to the world No. 1 ranking. However, inconsistency remains a major hurdle. A glaring example was her 21 double faults during last year’s Wuhan Open semi-final. The 2025 season has yet to bring a complete turnaround, with her Miami Open campaign ending in a straight-sets loss to Magda Linette, marked by 12 double faults and 45 unforced errors.
Rennae Stubbs Sounds the Alarm
Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, has been vocal about Gauff’s vulnerabilities under pressure, particularly pointing out technical flaws in her serve and forehand. After Gauff’s early exit at Indian Wells, Stubbs highlighted how controlled indoor conditions often mask these issues, which become more apparent outdoors due to factors like wind. She specifically mentioned problems with Gauff’s second serve, service motion, grip, and forehand.
Stubbs’ concerns appeared validated when Gauff committed 21 double faults and 74 unforced errors in her Miami Open R64 match against Moyuka Uchijima. Although she showed improvement in subsequent rounds, her straight-sets defeat to Linette reignited doubts.
On the latest episode of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast (March 25), Stubbs expressed shock at Gauff’s loss to the world No. 34, despite the American’s dominant start to the tournament:
“Coco was playing really well, with comfortable wins, including that 6-0, 6-0 match against Kenin. Losing to Magda Linette? That’s a bit unacceptable.”
Has Gauff Dropped Out of the Elite Tier?
Stubbs didn’t hold back in her assessment, stating:
“Coco has dropped out of that top-tier five-level. Losing to Linette in Miami, where she had tons of home support, is just not a good loss for her.”
She pointed out that confidence plays a critical role in a player’s performance:
“Your confidence takes a hit when you don’t make deep runs in big tournaments. When you compare her consistency to players like Swiatek or Sabalenka, she’s not there yet.”
A Glimmer of Hope on Clay?
Despite her concerns, Stubbs remains optimistic about Gauff’s upcoming clay-court season:
“I’m not too worried about her. Once she’s back on clay, I think she’ll play better.”
Gauff’s best French Open performance came in 2022, when she reached the final. Stubbs even referenced her performance at the WTA Finals, where limiting her double faults to under six per match led to a title-winning run.
“If she keeps her double faults below six, I don’t care who she’s playing—she’s winning.”
Gauff’s Response to the Loss
After her Miami Open exit, Gauff admitted her performance fell short:
“It wasn’t great today. Honestly, it hasn’t been great for the past few weeks. I’m trying to figure it out. Definitely not happy about it.”
What’s Next for Gauff?
As she shifts her focus to the Stuttgart Open (April 14) and the European clay-court swing, all eyes will be on whether she can address these persistent issues and regain her momentum before Roland Garros.
Will Gauff bounce back stronger on clay, or are these deeper issues that require a coaching overhaul? Let us know your thoughts!
