Why Coco Gauff should turn to Martina Hingis if she sacks Gavin MacMillan

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Cracks began to show in Coco Gauff and Gavin MacMillan’s coaching relationship last time out in Dubai.

During her semifinal defeat to Elina Svitolina, Gauff seemed to criticise MacMillan when she made yet another double fault.

“I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last six months, and it’s not getting any better,” said Gauff.

If Gauff does decide to pull the trigger and sack MacMillan, she should turn to tennis legend Martina Hingis, who could be the perfect fit.

Coco Gauff should hire Martina Hingis in a consultancy role if she fires Gavin MacMillan

Speaking to Kim Clijsters, Hingis shared the only way she’d consider coaching.

“The only thing that would kind of work is if they came here, to visit me in Switzerland, a day here or two, [for me to be a] consultant,” said Hingis.

She has no interest in coaching full-time on the WTA Tour, but would be open to helping out on a short-term basis.

If Gauff does move on from MacMillan, she should take Hingis up on that offer and book some flights to Switzerland.

Why?

Well, there aren’t many women alive who can relate to what Gauff is going through more than Hingis.

Like Gauff, Hingis broke through to become one of the best players in women’s tennis as a teenager.

Dealing with the pressure piled on by the media, Hingis won five Grand Slam titles and became world number one.

Gauff, 21, is a two-time major champion and reached a career high of number two in the world, and is just missing that slight edge she needs to become the undisputed number one.

Hingis can help with that.

The serve is an issue, of course, but it’s as much a mental issue as it is a technical one.

MacMillan, a biomechanics expert, was hired to fix the serve, and if he hasn’t been able to make an impact, perhaps a different approach is needed.

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Gauff needs someone who can understand what she’s dealing with.

During her pre-Indian Wells press conference, Gauff touched on ‘burnout’ when discussing Winter Olympics star Alysia Giu.

“I think her whole story was super inspiring, and I think I could highly relate as someone who was very young put into a sport,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say I have faced burnout, but there are times you’re mentally just tired of it, and you feel like you’re doing stuff and you don’t know why.

“So I definitely could relate to her whole story. I was happy to see her be that voice saying the unsaid things that athletes think but are maybe scared to say.”

After winning five Grand Slams, Hingis ‘burnt out’, and retired from tennis the first time at 22, just a year older than Gauff is now.

Hingis could impart some words of wisdom to Gauff, advising her on what not to do, boosting her confidence in the process.

And perhaps a more confident Gauff would be better placed to fix her serve.

Coco Gauff’s coaching timeline

It remains to be seen if Gauff will turn to Hingis, but for now, she’s persevering with MacMillan.

The fifth full-time coach Gauff has employed since turning professional.

Gauff worked with her father, Corey Gauff, for several years before adding Frenchman Jean-Christopher Faurel to her team.

Short-term stints with several different coaches followed before Gauff hired the Argentine, Diego Moyano.

The pair enjoyed success together before Moyano left due to personal reasons.

Then, legendary coach Brad Gilbert joined the team.

Immediately clicking with Gilbert, Gauff won her first Grand Slam at the US Open in 2023.

By this time, Faurel had returned to Gauff’s coaching setup.

Gauff replaced Gilbert with Matt Daly shortly after her unsuccessful US Open title defence in 2024.

With Daly in her corner, Gauff won the French Open, doubling her Grand Slam tally.

But with the serve causing the American problems in the lead-up to the 2025 US Open, she hired MacMillan, whom she still works with today.

Several high-profile coaches, including Patrick Mouratoglou and Pere Riba, also worked with Gauff sporadically over the years.

Only time will tell if and when she chooses to make another coaching change, but it will certainly be something to keep an eye on.

For now, Gauff will turn her attention to Indian Wells and her second-round match against Kamilla Rakhimova.