Overview
- Coco Gauff was eliminated in the Riyadh round-robin after a 6-7(5), 2-6 loss to world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, having needed a straight-sets win to advance following Jessica Pegula’s victory over Jasmine Paolini.
- Gauff’s serving woes again proved pivotal, with an opening loss to Pegula featuring a reported 17 or 18 double faults, three against Paolini, and six versus Sabalenka as she said she took pace off the delivery to keep it in play.
- The American’s serve has been a season-long issue, and recent adjustments stem from hiring biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan after parting ways with coach Matt Daly in the summer.
- Tim Henman contrasted Sabalenka’s clarity under pressure—after solving her own second-serve problems—with Gauff’s need to concentrate so hard on serving that it affects the rest of her game.
- Jimmy Connors advised shelving on-the-fly technical changes and using the coming weeks to regroup, stressing the priority to stop “beating yourself” before the Australian swing.