Coco Gauff opened up about her unexpected coaching change just days before the 2025 US Open, confirming that she had split with coach Matt Daly and brought on Gavin MacMillan, the biomechanical specialist who previously worked with the current World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.
Speaking in New York, the World No. 3 described the move as “a very sudden decision,” one she believed was necessary to address lingering issues with her serve and to ensure long-term growth in her game.
Why Did Coco Gauff Make the Switch Ahead of the US Open?
The shift comes at a pivotal time in Gauff’s career. After parting ways with Brad Gilbert in mid-2024, Gauff teamed up with Daly. Under his guidance, she picked up several key titles, including her first WTA Finals crown and a second Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros earlier this year.
Still, disappointing results at Wimbledon, Montreal, and Cincinnati raised questions about her form. Daly confirmed the end of their partnership last week, leaving Gauff to make adjustments heading into the New York Major.
Gauff’s serve has been a recurring obstacle throughout the season. She leads the WTA in double-faults with 320, more than 100 ahead of the next highest player. On average, she has been committing nearly seven double-faults per match.
The problem became glaringly evident during her recent matches: 23 double-faults in a three-set win against Danielle Collins in Montreal, followed by 14 in her next match there. At the Cincinnati Open quarterfinal, she racked up 16 in a loss to Jasmine Paolini. It is the very area that MacMillan helped Sabalenka turn into a weapon when he worked with her in 2022.
Asked in her US Open pre-tournament press conference about why she made the switch, Gauff responded: “Yeah, it was a very sudden decision. Gavin became available. I just felt this was the best decision for my game… Matt is a great coach and a great person, and 100% love working with him. We obviously had a very successful partnership, but I’m just looking at long term. I know Gavin has had experience with this before.”
Reporters pressed further, asking if making technical changes right before a Grand Slam could prove risky. Gauff acknowledged the timing but made clear she was prioritizing the bigger picture. “I don’t have that many points to defend in this part of the season. I’m one of those people, I’m looking at long term. I hope I can get it all together – I think I’ll play either Monday or Tuesday – by then. If not, I have the rest of this year to work on it,” she said.
Read More: Coco Gauff, Iga Świątek, Aryna Sabalenka — A Look at the Toughest US Open 2025 Draw
Emphasizing the urgency of fixing her serve, she added: “But I do know I needed to make a change, technical change to it, and I don’t want to waste time continuing doing the wrong things.”
Gauff will be making her seventh appearance in Flushing Meadows, where she is seeded third. The 2023 champion will take on Ajla Tomljanović in the first round, with the winner facing either Donna Vekić or Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the next round.
