Coco Gauff has experienced a rollercoaster 2024 season, marked by both significant victories and undeniable challenges. Despite these fluctuations, the young American star has garnered the support of former World No. 1 Andy Roddick, particularly regarding her serve, an area that has come under scrutiny.
Coco Gauff celebrating a victory during the 2024 season
Gauff, still only 20 years old, has navigated a year of contrasting fortunes, ultimately securing her place at the prestigious WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia. Her qualification for the season-ending championship was confirmed recently, adding another accolade to her burgeoning career. Victories at the Auckland Open in January and the China Open earlier in October underscored her potential and contributed significantly to her WTA ranking, currently sitting at World No. 3. However, the Grand Slam stages presented a tougher landscape for Gauff this year.
While she reached the semi-finals at both the Australian and French Opens, her performances at Wimbledon and the US Open were less successful. At Wimbledon, she exited in the fourth round, and her US Open title defense ended prematurely, also in the fourth round. Furthermore, her Olympic journey concluded before the medal rounds, highlighting inconsistencies in her pursuit of major titles this season.
A prominent talking point surrounding Gauff’s season has been her serve. The spotlight intensified after she served 19 double faults in her US Open defeat to Emma Navarro. This was followed by a career-high 21 double faults in a semi-final clash against Aryna Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open, raising concerns about this critical aspect of her game.
Despite these serving woes and the sometimes turbulent nature of her 2024 season, Andy Roddick, a former US Open champion and influential voice in tennis, has voiced his confidence in Gauff’s ability to overcome her serving issues and further refine her game.
“I want to give credit where credit is due because of the loss at the US Open, the 11 or 12 doubles in that third set, the questions post Brad Gilbert,” Roddick stated on his ‘Served’ podcast, referencing Gauff’s former coach. He acknowledged the pressure and scrutiny Gauff has faced, particularly concerning her serve, but emphasized her resilience and overall progress.
Coco Gauff reacting during a match in the 2024 season, highlighting serve struggles
Roddick highlighted Gauff’s ability to create momentum despite the serving challenges, even in matches where her second serve faltered, such as against Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open. He pointed out her competitiveness and ability to nearly win matches despite this vulnerability. Roddick also noted areas for improvement in her forehand, but crucially, he underscored her ascent back to world No. 3 amidst these ongoing developments. “That’s crazy town,” Roddick remarked, emphasizing the remarkable nature of her ranking despite the widely discussed serving concerns.
Drawing from his own experience as a former top player, Roddick expressed optimism about Gauff’s future trajectory. “I think the rest of her game has become so much better than it was a year ago, that she will self correct this at some point. I have full faith,” he affirmed. He believes that the overall enhancements in her game will eventually lead to an improvement in her serve as well.
Roddick tempered expectations for immediate change, stating, “It’s not going to get better overnight,” but reiterated his belief in her long-term development. He urged a balanced perspective, reminding critics and fans alike of Gauff’s youth and accomplishments. “All of these things we constantly harp on and are negative about – she’s back up to three in the world and she’s 20 years old! Can we take a step back and be realists for a second? That’s pretty impressive.”
As Coco Gauff sets her sights on the WTA Finals in Riyadh starting November 2nd, her serve will undoubtedly be a focal point of her preparation. This will be her third appearance at the year-end championships, remaining the youngest competitor in the field. Having reached the semi-finals last year, Gauff will be aiming to advance further in this year’s tournament.
Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff potentially facing off at the WTA Finals
The WTA Finals field is set to feature the top players of the season, including World No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Jessica Pegula, Elena Rybakina, Jasmine Paolini, Qinwen Zheng, and Barbora Krejcikova. With Andy Roddick’s vote of confidence and her proven ability to compete at the highest level, Coco Gauff will be looking to solidify her position among the elite and address her serving concerns as she moves forward in her promising career.
