Why Coco Gauff will eventually dominate women's tennis

Coco Gauff has the potential to become the best player on the WTA Tour in the coming years.

Gauff won her second Grand Slam title at the 2025 French Open, recovering from losing the first set against Aryna Sabalenka in the final. Since that memorable triumph, she has endured some challenging moments, and her serve and forehand are consistent issues.

Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek have been the most successful WTA players since 2022, and hopes are high for 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva. However, there are reasons to believe Gauff will surpass her rivals in the coming years.

Gauff's serve (especially the second) and forehand troubles mean she does not consistently breeze through the early rounds as well as Sabalenka and Swiatek. There have been countless examples of the former world No. 2 looking unconvincing, but finding a way to win.

Although many of Gauff's victories can be uglier than her rivals, those moments and her natural mentality make the 2023 US Open winner the most impressive fighter on the WTA Tour, something she has consistently proven.

Gauff won both Grand Slam finals against Aryna Sabalenka after losing the opening set, and defeated Qinwen Zheng in a deciding set tiebreak to triumph at the 2024 WTA Finals after the Chinese player served for the title.

While Sabalenka and Swiatek get more easy victories, they are more liable to panic under pressure than Gauff. For instance, the passionate Sabalenka let her emotions get the better of her in the 2025 Australian Open and French Open finals.

Swiatek, while not as expressive as Sabalenka, sometimes freezes when facing unexpected pressure. Examples were the 1-6, 1-6 thrashing by Gauff at the 2025 Madrid Open, and the 1-6, 2-6 loss to Jasmine Paolini at the 2025 Wuhan Open.

Although her forehand needs some work, Gauff's serve has been the most significant problem. Despite winning the WTA Finals and French Open with him, she split with coach Matt Daly because of the serving issue.

A few days before the 2025 US Open, Gauff hired Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics coach who successfully helped Sabalenka a few years ago. The Belarusian's second serve problems were similar, and her coach, Anton Dubrov, offered to quit when they became so severe.

MacMillan's track record and Gauff's commitment to improving that shot mean they have a great chance of succeeding. No partnership is ever guaranteed to work, but MacMillan's appointment makes sense and was a bold move by the American.

By hiring him, Gauff also implemented the advice of Hall of Fame coach Rick Macci, who used to work with Serena and Venus Williams. He repeatedly said biomechanical rewiring was the best answer for her serve.

Gauff's movement, fitness, backhand, and return are already better or as good as those of any other WTA player. If she successfully fixes her serve with MacMillan's guidance, it will be challenging for anyone to stop her.

The worldwide fan favorite memorably broke through at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. She beat her childhood idol, Venus Williams, during a run to the fourth round despite being just 15 years old.

Gauff's presence on the WTA Tour for over six years has made it easy for fans to forget how young she is, at 21. Very few players are anywhere near their peak at that age because of the amount of work needed to succeed in the physically and technically demanding modern game.

Sabalenka was 25 and 26 at the start of 2024 and 2025, her best years to date. Madison Keys won her first Grand Slam at age 29, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini broke through in their late twenties, and Swiatek, now 24, has made improvements to her game in 2025 with Wim Fissette.

The evolution of tennis, her rivals getting better at older ages, and Gauff's determination to improve indicate that her game will keep developing in the coming years, making enhanced future success likely.

Being in the spotlight from age 15 has been too much to handle for many players. Several athletes, including those in tennis, did not reach their potential because of unreasonable expectations placed on them as teenagers.

Gauff has dealt with constant media scrutiny exceptionally well. No controversies have surrounded her, and she manages off-court matters with a charisma and humor that have endeared her to tennis fans worldwide. The WTA Finals winner also always battles to the end on court, regardless of the score.

Those qualities could prove crucial over the next decade and beyond. Tennis is one of the most physically demanding sports, a point heightened by the lengthy schedule. Gauff's cool head might prevent her from becoming overwhelmed.

That contrasts with some of her rivals. Sabalenka's fieriness is loved by the four-time Grand Slam champion's fans, but the struggle to keep her emotions in check and taking losses badly could become wearing over the years.

Gauff experienced how challenging the Belarusian finds it to process brutal defeats when Sabalenka claimed her French Open final defeat was not down to the 21-year-old, and Iga Swiatek would have won that match. Sabalenka apologized afterward.

Andreeva's well-known susceptibility to meltdowns might hold her back. Despite having more time to technically improve at 18, the young star does not yet have the emotional maturity that Gauff had at the same age.