Gauff’s China Open Exit Intensifies Questions Over Serve Fix or Forehand Rebuild
Analysts now push for a forehand rebuild, reflecting her choice to chase long-term fixes over quick wins.
Overview
- Coco Gauff lost 6-1, 6-2 to Amanda Anisimova in the China Open semifinals, finishing the match with five double faults and fragile second-serve numbers.
- Her 2025 tally has climbed past 350 double faults, with 27 at the US Open and 31 across five matches in Beijing, underscoring a season-long issue.
- Gauff replaced coach Matt Daly in August with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, a move framed as a longer-term technical reset.
- Elena Dementieva argued Gauff would gain more by prioritizing a forehand overhaul rather than focusing solely on serve mechanics.
- Coach Rick Macci publicly urged a biomechanical ‘rewire’ of the forehand and predicted the serve could become a weapon with off-season reconstruction.