At just 21 years old, world No. 2 Coco Gauff has already claimed two major championships, yet her service game remains a glaring weakness. Throughout 2024 and into 2025, the American’s serve has been notably inconsistent, often undermining her otherwise dominant play and raising concerns about how much higher she can climb if this flaw is addressed. The ongoing struggle with double faults has become a defining issue for the young star during her high-profile matches.
Double Faults Dominate Gauff’s Recent Performances
In 2024, Gauff committed an astonishing 430 double faults across 71 matches, placing her far ahead of the second-highest offender, Marta Kostyuk, by 60 faults. This troubling trend has persisted in 2025, with Gauff leading the WTA Tour again by registering 250 double faults in 41 matches, outpacing Linda Noskova by 57. These statistics highlight a persistent vulnerability in her serve that continues to derail her performance.
The issue was on full display at the recent Canadian Open, where she made 42 double faults over the course of three matches. Most striking was her first-round victory against Danielle Collins, in which she committed 23 double faults—the fifth-highest tally ever recorded in a single WTA match. These errors have placed her in an unusual category, holding records for the fifth- and sixth-most double faults in WTA history.
“33 – Only … Coco Gauff in Rome (42) and … Coco Gauff in Indian Wells (38) have made more double faults than … Coco Gauff in Montréal (33) in a single WTA-1000 event this season. Suffering.#OBN25 | @OBNmontreal @WTA”
—OptaAce, Sports Analyst
Persistent Service Struggles Despite Coaching Changes
Despite these difficulties, Gauff continues to secure wins, sparking debate around the true extent of her potential if she can improve her service game. Her serve issues first drew sharp criticism last year after 19 double faults contributed to a fourth-round loss at the U.S. Open against Emma Navarro. Former tennis player Rennae Stubbs openly questioned Gauff’s serving technique during an ESPN broadcast, a moment made more uncomfortable because Gauff’s then-coach Brad Gilbert was present. Not long after, Gauff dismissed Gilbert, placing renewed expectations on her new coaching team led by Matt Daly and Jean-Christophe Faurel to repair her serve.
However, even with this coaching change, Gauff’s serving woes have persisted. This has invited insights from respected figures in the tennis world, including Rick Macci, renowned for coaching slammers Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, and Jennifer Capriati. Macci believes the key to fixing Gauff’s serve lies in altering her stance and reshaping her muscle memory.
Rick Macci’s Proposed Overhaul of Gauff’s Serve Technique
According to Macci, switching Gauff’s serve from a pinpoint stance to a platform stance would be the first corrective step. He explained this adjustment would reprogram her reflexes and muscle memory, making it easier to correct vertical movement and improve timing.
“I would have her go to a platform stance, right now she does a pinpoint,” he said. “And I’m not saying it’s wrong. I mean, [there are] world class servers [who use] pinpoint. But the corrective technique has to jolt the muscle memory, and I gotta re-program the reflexes from the beginning. So, in a platform stance, it’d be like fresh out of the oven. And then from there, the whole timing would be very different, her vertical component would be easier to correct – that means her upward movement.”
—Rick Macci, Legendary Tennis Coach
Macci further remarked that the stance change itself could be made in as little as one hour. Yet, he emphasized that fully ironing out the service problems would require an off-season commitment, underlining that deep-rooted habits must be rebuilt for lasting improvement.
Upcoming Tournaments Heighten Pressure on Gauff’s Service Performance
As the U.S. Open approaches, expectations for Gauff to replicate her 2023 breakthrough victory at Flushing Meadows remain tempered. Her recent results have been uneven, marked by early exits after winning the 2025 French Open. Notably, she suffered first-round defeats at Berlin and Wimbledon and fell in the third round in Montreal to teenage player Victoria Mboko, amplifying concerns about her current form.
If Gauff can overhaul her service game, it could unlock a new level of domination and consistency on the tour. However, failure to address this foundational aspect may continue to hinder her championship ambitions. With guidance from coaches like Daly, Faurel, and potentially input from Macci, the coming months could prove pivotal for Gauff’s career trajectory. Her ability to transform this weakness will likely define just how far her immense talent can ultimately carry her.