World number three Coco Gauff shocked tennis fans this week by parting ways with coach Matt Daly just days before the 2025 US Open.
The timing couldn’t be more surprising, given that Daly played a key role in Gauff’s Roland Garros victory against world number one Aryna Sabalenka earlier this year. Despite the sudden split, the former coach spoke warmly about their working relationship in a recent interview.
What Did Matt Daly Say About Coco Gauff Following The Coaching Split?
Gauff ended her partnership with Daly this week and brought in biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan. He was spotted working with Gauff during practice sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium alongside her longtime coach Jean-Christophe Faurel, who remains on the team.
Daly confirmed the split to bounces, stating the decision happened “recently.” When asked about the change, Daly kept his response positive and said, “Only have good things to say about Coco, enjoyed working with her.”
Just months after winning the French Open, and just shortly before the US Open, Coco Gauff has parted with one of her coaches, Matt Daly.
Daly confirmed the news to Bounces.https://t.co/GmANloq89z pic.twitter.com/pICeEi44yJ
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) August 20, 2025
Gauff first hired Daly in September 2024 after splitting with Brad Gilbert following her fourth-round exit at the 2024 US Open. Gilbert had helped her win the 2023 US Open title but was let go after disappointing results. Daly, known as a grip specialist, focused on technical changes to Gauff’s serve and other aspects of her game.
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The partnership led to strong results for Gauff. She won the WTA Finals in November and reached the quarterfinals at the 2025 Australian Open. She also reached three consecutive tournament finals: the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, and the French Open. Though she lost the first two, Gauff captured the second Grand Slam of her career at Roland Garros in June 2025.
How Serious Is Gauff’s Recent Serving Struggle?
The coaching change comes after concerning performances from Gauff since winning the French Open in June. She suffered a first-round exit at Wimbledon and struggled badly with her serve during the North American hard-court season.
At the Canadian Open in Montreal, Gauff hit 42 double faults across three matches. Her serving problems continued at the Cincinnati Open, where she served 16 double faults in a quarterfinal loss to Jasmine Paolini. The American currently leads the WTA Tour with 320 double faults this season.
Tennis legend Rick Macci praised the decision to bring in MacMillan, calling it a “career changer.”
“Cori Gauff just made the best decision in his life for Coco,” Macci wrote on social media. “By hiring Gavin McMillan this can be solved real quick and make her serve click. What she hears will be 100% different than anything in the past.”
MacMillan previously helped world number one Sabalenka fix her serving problems. His expertise in biomechanics and joint angles could be exactly what Gauff needs to solve her double-fault issues before the US Open begins on Sunday.
