Kim Clijsters Offers Advice to Coco Gauff After Claiming Serve Struggles Criticism is Affecting Her Confidence

Coco Gauff has hit 103 double faults from 19 matches so far in the 2026 season.

Kim Clijsters Offers Advice to Coco Gauff After Claiming Serve Struggles Criticism is Affecting Her Confidence

Kim Clijsters, Coco Gauff (Image via Tennis.com, X/AllAboutHQ)

In Short
  • Coco Gauff has recorded 103 double faults in 14 matches this year, leading the double fault count.
  • Kim Clijsters advises Gauff that criticism over her serving issues is negatively impacting her confidence.
  • Brad Gilbert highlights Gauff's low ace count of 19 in 14 matches as another concern in her game.

Coco Gauff served more than 430 double faults both in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. To improve her serve, Gauff last year hired biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan, who helped World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka fix her serving problems.

Gauff broke down in tears during the US Open last year because of her serving woes. This year, too, despite hiring MacMillan, she has been frequently hitting double faults in matches.

The American was last seen in action at the Dubai Tennis Championships, where her run ended in the semifinals after a thrilling three-setter against eventual runner-up Elina Svitolina. During the match, Gauff hit 12 double faults.

When she served a double fault, she shouted at her coaching box: “I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last six months, and it’s not getting any better.”

Reacting to Gauff venting her frustration at her coaches, former World No.1 Kim Clijsters said it will take some time to fix her issues. She also thinks the criticism that Gauff is receiving due to her serves has not been helping her at all, and rather, it’s affecting her confidence.

And that’s the thing that I think people, and the media, and you know, commentators at times too… Like, there’s so much focus on her serve right now that when she serves a double fault, everybody, like, jumps on it right away. And I think for her, mentally, you can only kind of avoid it so much, that it is being looked at as a weakness, and it is at times, but she at times serves really good as well. And I think that’s where, you know, I’m very intrigued about the fact that why at times she, you know, the double faults kind of build up.

Kim Clijsters said on the Love All podcast

So far this year, Gauff has featured in 14 matches, recording 103 double faults, and has already become the leader when it comes to double fault count this season.

Brad Gilbert points out another problem in Coco Gauff’s game

Not just her serve problems, Coco Gauff‘s former coach, Brad Gilbert, also thinks there is another concern for two-time Grand Slam singles champion- her ace count. Gauff has so far this year has smashed only 19 aces.

Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff (Image via X/Game, Set & Talk)

I know she has been struggling with her serve…103 double faults in 14 matches is a massive number. But the thing I am most curious about is that in 14 matches this year is only 19 aces. I feel like for someone who can serve as big as she can, that is a low number and should be way up.

Brad Gilbert said on The Big T Podcast

Former WTA World No.18 Alison Riske-Amritraj shares a similar opinion with Gilbert, saying on the same podcast that Gauff has to add more speed to her serves to continue to win Majors. Gauff stands at the 54th spot for the number of aces hit in the 2026 season.

Reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina leads the aces table, smashing 110 aces so far this season from 15 matches, followed by Clara Tauson (80) and reigning Canadian Open champion Victoria Mboko (79).

Gauff will next be in action at Indian Wells, where she has so far reached the semifinals just once, in 2024. Last year, her run ended in the fourth round. The 21-year-old, in fact, has yet to make the final of a Sunshine Doubles tournament. At the Miami Open, she produced her best performance by reaching the fourth round (2022, 2024, and 2025). The World No.4 is the winner of three WTA 1000 titles, last winning it at the 2025 Wuhan Open.

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