Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs blasts Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert on air for American’s underwhelming performance at 2024 US Open

Rennae Stubbs did not hold back in criticizing Coco Gauff's underwhelming performances after her exit from the 2024 US Open.

Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs blasts Coco Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert on air for American’s underwhelming performance at 2024 US Open

Brad Gilbert, Coco Gauff, Rennae Stubbs (Images via Tennis.com, Imago)

Serena Williams’ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs did not hold back while discussing the problems with Coco Gauff‘s game following the American’s fourth-round exit from the 2024 US Open. Although Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert was sitting by her side, Stubbs did not mince her words and even countered Gilbert for his reasoning.

Discussing Gauff’s defeat in three sets to Emma Navarro in the fourth round at the Flushing Meadows, Gilbert was asked a few hard-hitting questions. The American was asked about the lack of confidence in Gauff.

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To this, Gilbert started by talking about Gauff’s level in practice sessions and how she is flawless there. He then went on to talk about the difference in the second serve for men’s and women’s players. Brad Gilbert claimed that women’s players tend to hit a slower second serve as compared to their male counterparts.

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Rennae Stubbs agreed with Gilbert on this and then highlighted the issue with Gauff. She claimed that the 20-year-old is struggling big time with her second serve.

The problem with Coco is, sometimes she is hitting in the mid-90s then she was going a little bit slower in the middle. There's no second serve that's the same. So under pressure, bad technique breaks down and her technique is…hard for me to say because Brad [Gilbert] is sitting here…but her technique, the elbow, is too low, the grip is a little weird as well. So it's hard for her to get that nice first serve and then the same or similar second serve.
Rennae Stubbs said (via ESPN)

Gauff lost 3-6, 6-4, 3-6 to Navarro in the fourth round. She committed a total of 19 double faults during her match, which paved the way for the defending champion’s exit.

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Coco Gauff cites “mental and emotional” reasons for her struggles with serves

Like Rennae Stubbs, Coco Gauff also sees her serves as a big problem. After her fourth-round exit from the 2024 US Open, Gauff admitted that she needs to work on that part of her game. She, however, stated that her lackluster serves was “an emotional and mental thing”.

Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff (Via Imago)

When asked if she would like to consider hiring a biomechanics coach to consult on her service motion – as Aryna Sabalenka did to such great effect recently, Gauff said she would like a second opinion. But she insisted that her chaotic serving against Emma Navarro was more of a mental issue. 

For sure. I definitely want to get other opinions but also I think it's sometimes more of an emotional, mental thing because if I go out on the practice court right now, I would make, like, 30 serves in a row. I've done it before. It's kind of a mental hurdle that I have to get over. But, yeah, I definitely want to look at other things because I don't want to lose matches like this anymore.
Coco Gauff said (H/T: The Daily Mail)

Notably, Gauff has hit a total of 277 double faults this season. She has also got only 57.6% of her first serves right and has been able to win only 44.3% of her second serves.

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