Coco Gauff’s simmering frustration during her semifinal loss at the 2026 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships did not go unnoticed, and former pro Rennae Stubbs was among those watching closely. In a tense, physically draining battle against Elina Svitolina, Gauff’s emotions spilled over as her serving struggles resurfaced at the worst possible time.
Stubbs quickly weighed in, pointing to Gauff’s audible frustration as one of the most telling moments of the match.
A Closer Look at Coco Gauff’s Serving Struggles and Emotional Flashpoint Against Elina Svitolina
Gauff’s semifinal match against seventh-seed Svitolina in Dubai was a grueling three-hour marathon. Svitolina ultimately triumphed with a score of 6-4, 6-7 (13), 6-4, securing her spot in the final. The match featured the longest tiebreak on the WTA Tour in 2026, where Gauff saved four match points to take the second set 15-13 before eventually falling in the decider.
Gauff’s serve continued to be a significant liability throughout the match, as she recorded 12 double faults. This followed a troubling pattern for her in Dubai, including a match earlier in the week against Elise Mertens, where she struck 16 double faults.
The tension surrounding her technical struggles boiled over during the second set. After hitting a double fault at 3-3, (15-15), Gauff was captured by microphones venting her frustration toward her coaching box. She specifically addressed her biomechanics coach, Gavin MacMillan, shouting, “I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last 6 months…”
Coco Gauff after hitting a double fault against Elina Svitolina in Dubai
“I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last 6 months…”
This is presumably to her biomechanics expert, Gavin MacMillan, who she hired before the US Open last season to help with her serve. pic.twitter.com/eobBoCyHDP
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 20, 2026
Gauff hired MacMillan in August 2025, just before the US Open, to overhaul her service motion and address inconsistencies in her forehand. MacMillan is well-known for successfully rebuilding World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s serve.
Against that backdrop, Stubbs, a former doubles World No. 1 and respected analyst, reacted to the exchange on social media, posting, “Interesting comments from Coco in this game.”
Interesting comments from Coco in this game.
— Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) February 20, 2026
How Did Gauff’s Dramatic Path to the Semifinals Unfold in Dubai?
Entering the tournament as the World No. 4 and the third seed, Gauff received a bye into the second round, where she defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4. In a high-stakes third-round match against Mertens, Gauff saved three match points to win 2-6, 7-6 (9), 6-3.
Despite the victory, she struggled significantly with her serve, recording 16 double faults and 63 unforced errors. She followed this with a much more dominant quarterfinal performance, routing Alexandra Eala 6-0, 6-2 in just over an hour.
