Coco Gauff continues to have issues with her serve, despite reaching the quarterfinals at the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Gauff lost her only match at the Qatar Open last week, with the American still seeking her first win since her disappointing end to the Australian Open.
The world number four was able to obtain that win in Dubai, with Gauff beating Anna Kalinskaya, even though she hit 12 double faults.
Gauff hit another 12 double faults in her latest match in Dubai, with the 21-year-old admitting that she needs to figure something out with her serve after having to save three match points to beat Elise Mertens.
Coco Gauff admits she feels worse about her serve now than at the Australian Open
Gauff hired biomechanical expert Gavin MacMillan before the US Open last year, as she looked to make improvements to her serve.
There have been signs of some improvements since then, but Gauff has been struggling with her most talked about shot once again this year.
After Gauff beat Mertens, 2-6 7-6(9) 6-3, from two match points down, she was asked about how she manages her confidence when her serve is not firing.
Who wins between Coco Gauff and Alex Eala?
They face each other in the Dubai quarterfinal today
The two-time Grand Slam champion responded by admitting that her serve feels worse than at both the Australian Open and the Qatar Open, but Gauff is trying to take confidence from the fact that she knows she can serve well.
“Yeah, I don’t know, it’s been up and down,” Gauff said in her post-match press conference. “Just changing, trying to find what’s right for me. In moments it feels great and I’m serving great; in moments, not really. I don’t know. It’s a long process.
“Yeah, I felt like Australian Open I was serving really well. Doha, even though I lost in straight sets, still was serving pretty well. I don’t know, this tournament I haven’t been serving that well.
“I don’t know. I feel like knowing that I can serve well gives me confidence. I just need to figure out in these moments when it goes left how I can find it back and make it right.”
Gauff’s comments about her serve being worse in Dubai compared to the Australian Open and the Qatar Open are backed up by some statistics, but not all.
She has hit significantly more double faults per match than in Melbourne and Doha, and also has a lower first serve percentage and has been broken in more games per match.
However, Gauff has hit more aces per match in Dubai, and also has a greater first serve winning percentage.
| Coco Gauff’s Serve | Australian Open 2026 | Qatar Open 2026 | Dubai Tennis Championships 2026 |
| Average Aces per match | 0.8 | 2 | 2.5 |
| Average Double Faults per match | 5 | 3 | 12 |
| First Serve % | 67.6% | 66% | 50% |
| First Serve Win % | 69.2% | 67% | 72.5% |
| Second Serve Win % | 40.2% | 25% | 37.5% |
| Average Games Broken per match | 2.6 | 3 | 5.5 |
Coco Gauff takes one positive after saving match points to beat Elise Mertens
Although Gauff believes that her serve has gotten worse at the Dubai Tennis Championships, she does believe something has improved.
Gauff is known for being one of the best fighters on the WTA Tour, but she admitted that she felt like she lacked that in her two defeats prior to the Dubai Tennis Championships.
However, after saving three match points to beat Mertens, Gauff believes that she has her fighting spirit back.
“Yeah, I mean, I feel like it’s almost easier to play when you’re down than when you have the match in your hands,” said Gauff. “Yeah, I don’t even remember the last time I’ve done that.
“I don’t know. I just wanted to give myself the chance today. I feel like my last two matches, not here, but the one in Doha and the one in the Australian Open, I feel like the second sets, I didn’t feel like I fought enough for them.
“This match, when I lost the first set, I really wanted to fight for that second and give myself the opportunity to compete in the third.”
Prove us wrong…
Gauff will now play Alexandra Eala in the Dubai Tennis Championships quarterfinals, in a first-time meeting between two of the most popular players on the WTA Tour right now.
If Gauff is able to beat Eala then she will reach the semifinals in Dubai for the first time since 2023.
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