Coco Gauff has struggled with her serve for a long time.
The 21-year-old has committed over 300 double faults, the most from any WTA player this season.
The American has decided it was time for a change, as Gauff sacked Matt Daly in the week leading up to the US Open. Gauff then hired biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan to help correct the issues with her serve.
Gauff won her first match with coach MacMillan at the US Open, but this is the start of a long journey towards any improvements being made with such an important shot.
Coco Gauff plans to put more pace on her serve in her next US Open match
Coco Gauff made 60% of her first serves against Ajla Tomljanovic at the US Open.
She won 66% of her first serve points and 60% of the points behind her second serve in a 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 victory.
She did serve 10 double faults as she is working on improving her serve with new biomechanics coach, MacMillan.
As Gauff tries to find ways to fix the inconsistencies with her serve, she told ESPN that she plans on hitting faster serves in her next match, at least to start with.
“Definitely the level of comfort went up as the match went on, so I started to go bigger on the first serve,” Gauff said. “I knew she started to return better so I knew that I couldn’t keep doing those serves in the court.
“But I think for me it’s just establishing that at the beginning of the match and that trust and going from there.
“I definitely think in the next match I want to start off serving a little bit bigger but I just have to trust it and see what happens. We are going to work on it.
“It’s one of those things I really don’t have the answers for all the questions but all you guys need to know is that I am trying my best.”
Who is Coco Gauff’s next opponent?
Gauff will take on Donna Vekic in the second round of the US Open.
The Croatian came from a set down to defeat Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the opening round.
The pair last played at the United Cup in January, where Gauff scored a straight sets victory for Team USA on the way to securing the title.
Vekic handed Gauff a tough loss at the Olympic Games a year ago, but they are now set to meet at a Grand Slam for the first time.
Gauff aims to hit some faster serves against Vekic, and it will be interesting to see how the American’s opponent reacts to what she is able to produce.
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