Women’s tennis champion Coco Guaff of Delray unveils tennis courts
US Open women’s tennis champion Coco Gauff from Delray Beach is honored with newly renovated tennis courts for children in Pompey Park
Coco Gauff may appear on Wheaties cereal boxes during the US Open, but that doesn’t mean the Delray Beach icon isn’t receptive to constructive criticism.
Gauff is heading into Monday’s US Open as the defending champion in a nosedive and legend Chris Evert offered advice to the 20-year-old player. Gauff’s severe slump in form was underlined by tears on the court and an outburst of anger from her coach.
Evert, who lives in Boca Raton and works as a star co-commentator for the women’s team at ESPN, was not happy with Gauff’s on-court performance at Wimbledon, when she looked up at the coaches’ box during her fourth-round loss and chastised them for their lack of support.
The flamboyant Brad Gilbert became Gauff’s coach 13 months ago and witnessed her rise in the summer of 2023, culminating in her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows last September.
“She was frustrated with them and seemed to blame them,” Evert said Tuesday in a conference call for ESPN’s coverage of the Open. “But tennis is really in you. John (McEnroe) and I didn’t have the coaching that they have today. We figured it out on our own and played instinctive tennis. She needs to do more of that. I hope there aren’t too many voices in her ear.
“When she got really excited and emotional during Wimbledon, she had to start coming up with her own game plan,” Evert added. “She has to start trusting her instincts when she plays a match and not always relying on patterns and coaches and people telling her what to do. I think she’s at an age where she needs to play with a little more feeling and instinct and believe in herself.”
Gauff is still ranked No. 3 – the highest-ranked American, male or female. But the highly touted Gauff will lose a majority of WTA ranking points if she loses early at the Open under the 12-month tracking formula.
Gauff’s slump began at Wimbledon and became even more pronounced at the Summer Olympics. After being named the U.S. women’s flag bearer alongside LeBron James at the opening ceremony in Paris, she suffered early eliminations in all three events – singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Gauff suffers defeats in the first round of the Canadian Open in Cincinnati
In the two preparatory tournaments for the US Open, the Canadian Open and in Cincinnati, Gauff suffered defeats in the first rounds.
Even before Wimbledon, Gauff had shown worrying signs at the French Open. She burst into tears during an argument with the umpire in a semifinal loss to Iga Swiatek. Gauff was also seen in tears at the Olympics when another argument broke out over a referee’s decision.
“The thing about the tears is that I think you just don’t know how much you expect yourself to be,” said Evert. “From day one, everyone thought Coco was the next Serena Williams, the next one to dominate. That stays with you for a long time.”
According to John McEnroe, the venerable ESPN commentator, the pressure may actually be too much for her.
“She’s happy to be able to defend her title but also baffled by some of the results,” McEnroe said. “The pressure of expectations – she won the Open, (but) it’s getting harder in a lot of ways. There are people chasing you. You’re a bigger win. Everyone in her camp expects more and she expects more.”
Gauff makes by far the most money from endorsement deals in women’s tennis. The honor of carrying the flag was surprising considering how many American female athletes have competed with multiple gold medals.
“When I saw her at the Olympics, leading the parade, the whole Olympics, it was raining and I saw her trading pins,” Evert said. “She was taking pictures and meeting all her idols. I just thought, ‘Oh my God, this girl isn’t going to be able to play. She’s going to be so exhausted.’ Emotionally, it took so much out of her. She’s still a young girl.
“She is in demand and everyone wants a piece of her.”
Evert also believes that Gauff plays “too much doubles” and should keep herself fresher for singles. Most players of her caliber do not participate in doubles. In addition, Evert criticizes Gauff’s extreme forehand grip.
Gauff made 50 unforced errors in her shock loss to Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva in her first match in Cincinnati last week. Gauff won Cincinnati last year to celebrate her Open victory.
“Players are just exposing their forehands now,” Evert said. “It’s not even backhand, forehand, backhand. In the last loss, they hit every ball with their forehand.”
No player is in top form in a women’s tennis world that is characterized by ties. Swiatek has come back down to earth. Cincinnati winner Aryna Sabalenka is currently recovering from a shoulder injury. There have been 18 different Grand Slam winners in the last eight years.
Chris Evert and John McEnroe still believe that Gauff can turn things around
“It’s been a long year, but do I think (Coco) can still do it?” Evert said. “One hundred percent. It comes down to who is the freshest for seven games. She can still win.”
More: Coco Gauff’s grandmother was the first black student at a school in Delray Beach. How did she do it?
McEnroe also said that in his eyes Gauff is either the second or third favorite. And McEnroe hopes that she does not split up with Gilbert.
“A lot of coaches are punching bags,” McEnroe said. “They vent their anger. That’s all they do. Coco is a great player. She can figure it out.”
“As far as Brad goes, it’s hard to say what’s going to happen. But Brad is one of the best coaches there’s ever been. Maybe you have to get a taste for him. The people who got a taste for him have done a very good job. I think he should be in the Hall of Fame for his coaching. I don’t think that’s the problem. If she wants to try someone else one year, that’s her right. But last year, when he joined her, she had a great run and won the Open. He did a great job.”
