When the most double faults in a match should mean certain defeat, Coco Gauff found a way to turn it into victory. The American’s stunning ability to win ugly has caught the attention of former World No. 1 doubles player Rennae Stubbs, who praised Gauff’s mental toughness while dissecting exactly what’s going wrong with the two-time Grand Slam winner’s serve.
Rennae Stubbs Weighs In on Coco Gauff’s Mental Toughness and Serving Woes
Gauff, seeded No. 1 at this year’s National Bank Open, has turned her Canadian Open campaign into a masterclass in perseverance. The 21-year-old faced a brutal test in the second round, narrowly defeating compatriot Danielle Collins 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) in a match overshadowed by 23 double faults, which ranks as the fifth-highest ever recorded in a WTA match.
The serving woes aren’t a new development for Gauff, as she tallied 21 double faults twice in 2024, including one in a loss to Aryna Sabalenka at the Wuhan Open and another in a victory over Moyuka Uchijima at Indian Wells. The pattern continued two days later when she battled through another shaky serving display, recording 14 double faults while defeating Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Coco keeps cruising💥 Gauff powers past Veronika Kudermetova to book her spot in the round of 16 at the National Bank Open in Montreal !@nationalbank pic.twitter.com/LlXBfp6jhm
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) July 31, 2025
Gauff’s mental fortitude caught the eye of Stubbs, who has experience both as a player and coach at the highest levels. The tennis analyst wrote on X: “No matter what is happening. Coco never gives up. Never! It wins her so many matches.”
No matter what is happening. Coco never gives up. Never! It wins her so many matches.
— Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) July 31, 2025
However, Stubbs didn’t shy away from the technical issues plaguing Gauff’s serve. When a fan questioned what specifically is causing the serving struggles, Stubbs replied: “Yes. She 100% needs a kick second serve but she’s unable to do that with her grip and her ball toss. Also she gets forward too early as well and her elbow is low. There are many things to tweak.”
Yes. She 100% needs a kick second serve but she’s unable to do that with her grip and her ball toss. Also she gets forward too early as well and her elbow is low. There are many things to tweak.
— Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) July 31, 2025
Gauff now prepares for a fourth-round showdown against Canadian wildcard Victoria Mboko, setting up a rematch of their Rome second-round battle earlier this season, which the American won in three sets. The winner will advance to face either China’s Zhu Lin or Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, Gauff’s tournament extends beyond singles competition. She’s also advancing in the doubles draw alongside partner McCartney Kessler. The American duo secured a first-round victory over Fanny Stollár and Wu Fang-Hsien, earning a second-round matchup against seventh seeds Ellen Perez and Lyudmyla Kichenok.
The winners will face either top seeds Sara Errani/Jasmine Paolini or Jeļena Ostapenko/Barbora Krejčíková in the quarterfinals.
