“Look at Her Stats”- Tennis Insider Reveals the Fine Line Coco Gauff Walks Between Brilliance and Breakdowns
“Look at Her Stats”: Tennis Insider Analyzes the Fine Line Coco Gauff Walks Between Brilliance and Breakdowns
Despite Coco Gauff’s incredible talent and poise, there is one persistent weakness she has yet to overcome – double faults. Last season, Gauff made 430 double faults across 71 matches, averaging 6 per match. In the middle of a challenging season, she adjusted her grip under the guidance of new coach Matt Daly. While this adjustment brought brief improvement, Gauff is again struggling with double faults this year. The 21-year-old has already racked up 39 double faults (6 in the Australian Open Quarterfinals, 21 in the Indian Wells opener, and 12 in the Miami Open Round of 16), leaving her fans concerned. Among those expressing worry is tennis journalist Jon Wertheim, who is both concerned about Gauff’s inconsistency and amazed by her ability to dominate in certain moments despite these struggles.
Wertheim appeared on the April 1, 2025 episode of Andy Roddick’s Served podcast, where he discussed a variety of topics, including Novak Djokovic’s loss to Jakub Mensik at the 2025 Miami Open, the form of Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka ahead of the clay season, and Daria Kasatkina’s new Australian citizenship. However, what stood out most was his analysis of Coco Gauff and the technical issues affecting her game this season. Wertheim noted Gauff’s inconsistency but also pointed out that, despite her struggles, she demonstrated her indomitable spirit in her 2025 Miami Open Round 64 victory over Sofia Kenin, where she delivered a double bagel score.
“I mean, look at her stats from that loss last week, and you just kind of say, ‘Yikes.’ On the other hand, we’ve seen her win majors while playing subpar tennis, grinding through tough matches, and she’s also capable of winning with dominant scores. She did it in Miami. But I just don’t know how long we can stay on that stop,” Wertheim said.
Despite committing 430 double faults last year, Gauff clinched titles at the 2024 ASB Classic, the 2024 China Open, and the 2024 WTA Finals. Even in tournaments where she didn’t win, she showed flashes of brilliance, making deep runs at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and the Italian Open. Still, her double fault issue remains a glaring weakness.
Rennae Stubbs, former coach of Serena Williams, shares similar concerns, and during an episode of the Rennae Stubbs Podcast (March 31, 2024), she pointed out that Gauff’s grip may be causing the issues. “Her elbow gets super low and close to her body. The left arm jumps down,” Stubbs explained, referencing Billie Jean King’s observation that “bad technique breaks down under pressure.”
However, Stubbs remains hopeful that Gauff’s resilience will help her improve during the clay season. “She doesn’t need to go for a big bomb on the first serve because her baseline game is so strong,” Stubbs added.
Coco Gauff’s ongoing battle with double faults has left many wondering whether this issue will hold her back in the upcoming clay season. However, Gauff’s unwavering determination suggests that she won’t let this setback define her. Do you think her fiery spirit will help her overcome this weakness? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
