Coco Gauff is preparing to battle Wimbledon’s grass courts shortly after securing her second Grand Slam title by defeating Aryna Sabalenka at Roland Garros. Despite an impressive clay season rebound following early losses in Qatar, Dubai, Indian Wells, and Miami, Gauff’s journey on grass remains a significant challenge, with insights from Rick Macci, the renowned coach known for mentoring Serena Williams, shedding light on the obstacles she must overcome at SW19.

Gauff’s Strengths and Difficulties Across Different Surfaces

Coco Gauff has excelled on hard and clay courts, capturing eight titles on hard surfaces and achieving a stunning French Open victory on clay. Statistically, she holds a 70.18% win rate on hard courts and an even stronger 74.56% on clay. However, the grass courts have consistently posed a tougher test. Since 2018, Gauff has compiled a solid 27-11 grass-court record, translating to roughly a 71.05% success rate, yet she has yet to secure a maiden grass-court championship.

This season has included setbacks, such as her straight-sets defeat by China’s Wang Xinyu at the Berlin Open, highlighting areas for improvement on grass. As Wimbledon approaches, Rick Macci has provided advice aimed at refining Gauff’s grass game to help convert potential into results at the All England Club.

Rick Macci’s Tactical Guidance for Mastering Grass

Rick Macci shared his coaching wisdom on social media, emphasizing the importance of mental resilience and strategic court positioning:

A career is a journey of winning and losing. Do not get too high or low and mentally you will continue to grow,

he wrote, encouraging balance through the sport’s emotional highs and lows. He further highlighted a key technical point for Gauff’s grass play:

The key for Coco on grass will be controlling the center of the court and making the baseline her closest friend going forward on the forehand from start to end. @CocoGauff

This advice underscores the value of dominating mid-court space and maintaining a consistent forehand approach to keep opponents off balance on the fast, low-bouncing grass surface.

For a player still searching for that elusive grass breakthrough, Macci’s experienced perspective offers a clear tactical roadmap: harness explosive speed and focus on court positioning to mitigate grass-court difficulties.

Grass Remains Gauff’s Toughest Surface Despite Major Success

While Gauff has demonstrated the ability to reach the semifinal stages and beyond at events like the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open, Wimbledon remains an obstacle where she has yet to advance past the fourth round. Her campaigns in 2019, 2021, and 2024 all ended before the second week’s deeper stages, leaving questions about whether grass will remain her “Achilles’ heel.”

Despite these challenges, Macci strongly counters the doubters, stating:

Many people saying Coco cannot play on Grass. Coco can play well on any surface because of her ELITE SPEED. Speed lives another day and she will figure out the best way to play. @CocoGauff,

reinforcing the belief that Gauff’s physical attributes give her a platform to adapt and thrive on grass.

Expert Opinions on Gauff’s Readiness for Wimbledon

As the tournament draws nearer, opinions among tennis legends offer a mix of cautious optimism and constructive critique. Chris Evert has voiced her belief that Gauff is poised to claim the Wimbledon title, emphasizing her comprehensive growth as a player. Conversely, Andy Roddick provides a more measured view, pointing out ongoing vulnerabilities:

She’s [Gauff] confident coming off of Roland Garros,

he remarked, before adding,

But the entry point to the forehand with pace is still going to be the thing that people try to do against her consistently. The easiest surface to do that on, in my opinion, against her, is on grass.

Roddick’s comments highlight a specific tactical challenge Gauff faces on grass, as opponents may exploit forehand entry points more readily on this fast surface. These observations align with her relatively uneven results on Wimbledon’s lawns so far.

Gauff’s Focus Shifts from Celebration to Preparation

Following her triumph in Paris, Gauff demonstrates a mature mindset by downplaying previous victories to stay motivated ahead of Wimbledon. Speaking on the Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike podcast, she confessed:

I think I can give myself the best chance to win Wimbledon by trying to downplay my victory in Paris as much as possible. I’m kind of trying to forget that moment, honestly. It’s just about staying hungry.

With the All England Club’s grass courts already under her racket for practice sessions, Gauff channels her energy into intense preparation, focusing on overcoming the grass-court hurdles that have held her back. As the tournament countdown hits just nine days, anticipation builds around how deep she will advance and whether she can finally capture Wimbledon glory.

The Stakes and What Lies Ahead at SW19

Gauff’s journey to mastering the grass courts is more than just about winning another trophy; it reflects her evolution from a talented youngster into a complete contender capable of conquering all surfaces. With Rick Macci’s expert guidance, the belief of tennis icons like Serena Williams’s mentor and endorsements from respected figures such as Evert, Gauff carries the hopes of fans eager to see her break new ground at one of tennis’s most storied venues.

The upcoming Wimbledon campaign will reveal whether she can convert her hard-earned skill and speed into lasting success on grass, potentially ending what many perceive as her final significant obstacle. The eyes of the tennis world remain fixed on SW19 as Coco Gauff returns to the grass, embodying hope, determination, and the relentless pursuit of greatness.