A veteran tennis coach best known for mentoring the Williams sisters has advised Coco Gauff to revise two key elements of her game amid a challenging time for the American. Gauff has endured a lackluster couple of months following a historic win at the French Open, her second Grand Slam triumph.
Serena Williams’ Former Coach Has Suggested What Coco Gauff Needs To Fix in Her Game
Rick Macci, 70, took to X recently to pinpoint two glaring weaknesses in Gauff’s game and suggested what she needs to do to fix those.
“Coco will be OK as she fights and knows how to play. But to ever breathe rare air she has to address the alarming red flare,” Macci wrote.
According to Macci, Gauff needs a “science-based plan” to improve her second serve and forehand, as they are prone to breaking down under “extreme pressure.”
“She is at a career crossroad with the 2nd serve and forehand but needs a science based Plan,” Macci continued. “This will not magically go away and bubbles up more under extreme pressure that particular day.”
Macci, a seven-time USPTA National Coach of the Year, has been among Gauff’s biggest supporters. Last year, he predicted that the American would one day climb to the top of the rankings.
Coco will be OK as she fights and knows how to Play. But to ever breathe rare air she has to address the alarming red flare. She is at a career crossroad with the 2nd serve and forehand but needs a science based Plan. This will not magically go away and bubbles up more under…
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) August 17, 2025
Recently, Macci told Tennis365 that Gauff could be more dominant with a better serve.
“Her wide serve to the deuce court is one of the best in the world, but then in the same breath, we’re talking about she leads the WTA Tour in double faults,” he said. “So there’s a disconnect.”
Macci went on to suggest what scientific measures could be adopted by Gauff to be more dominant.
“Her racket on her serve, the leg drive doesn’t initiate the racket at the right time and… but keeping her weight back longer with the platform and starting brand new, there’s no doubt that [with] myself and Dr. Gordon (an expert in Biomechanics), this could be solved immediately,” Macci said.
After implementing these changes, Macci has predicted, Gauff could be No. 1 for a “long time.”
“I think not only could Coco become No. 1, which she probably will anyways, I think she could stay there for a long time, because her backbone is better than her backhand and she’s an Olympic sprinter with a racket in her hand,” Macci stressed.
How Coco Gauff Has Performed in the 2025 Season
Earlier this year, Gauff became the first American woman to win the French Open since 2015, when Serena Williams took home the title. Notably, she defeated World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling three-set final to bring home the title.
After a few lackluster weeks following her success at Roland Garros, including a first-round loss at Wimbledon, Gauff found form again at the ongoing Cincinnati Open, where she made the quarterfinals. However, the 21-year-old was ousted by the No. 7 seed, Jasmine Paolini, in a tight three-set encounter.
