Coco Gauff has taken the tennis world by storm at this year's US swing and it is looking increasingly likely that she might fulfill her teenage potential at the 2023 US Open.
Gauff is the talk of the town. Her remarkable summer has seen the 19-year-old bag two of the biggest titles on offer ahead of the US Open. The addition of Brad Gilbert was seen as the missing piece of the jigsaw that needed to unlock Gauff from potential elite to become actual elite.
Gilbert has received outpouring praise for what tennis fans deemed miraculous counseling behind the scenes. Gilbert brings on board a wealth of experience at the top level having coached tennis Hall of Famers and former No. 1s.
But the handwork from Gauff's right-hand man Pere Riba has slightly gone unnoticed. Riba, also a very new addition brought by Corey Gauff (Coco's father), described how he got the job in the first place when talking to Tennis.com.
Riba, a former ATP pro himself, retired in his early 30s. He coached China's Qinwen Zheng to prominence in 2022 and ended their partnership at this year's Roland Garros in order to take a sabbatical from the sport.
But by serendipity, Riba ended up as Diego Moyano's replacement after the Argentine prematurely left Gauff's coaching team for personal reasons. It was too good a chance to let slip for the 35-year-old Riba, who was fully invested in Gauff's potential when he picked up the call about taking over the reins.
"I just wanted to take some time off. We were on the same page, so then we agreed to start for a trial period. It's amazing the potential that she has. It's like she's in the top of the rankings but still has a big margin to improve many things
Behind the scenes, Riba describes the intense work they put in to get Gauff to improve on many aspects of her game including her forehand which has perpetually been the subject of intense scrutiny and criticism. Riba adds that outside the handwork, it was highly important to work on Gauff's mindset more than anything else.
"The most important thing is about the mentality. It's bringing to the court her energy. It's enjoying to play the match. It's not about the result. It's about how you play. I think that Coco starts to understand that."
For a long time in her career, Gauff's father was leading the line in coaching her daughter. That hasn't been the case since Riba's appointment. The Spaniard works in conjunction with Gilbert, strength and conditioning coach Stephane Dal Soglio, and physio Maria Vago. Riba welcomes any new appointments as it brings positive energy in the player's camp.
"All the good things that everyone can bring to Coco is welcome. It's a gift. Because if the energy in the team every day is good, is healthy, the player is feeling that. Everyone is doing their job really well."
Gauff's dedication and professionalism have caught Riba by surprise. When the Spaniard assumed the role as Gauff's right-hand man, he was aware of the precocious talent of the player he was coaching, but he tapped into Gauff's character and personality while working together - something Riba scored a 12 out of 10 in points.
"Now I understand why the people love Coco. It's not only because she's an amazing player. She's also an amazing, amazing person. I didn't know she was like that. I was expecting less."
"When you know more of her, you can see that is how she is—the education, the manners, how she treats the people, the way that she finishes the practice, stays outdoors for the fans. She is taking care of the things. I say many times to her. She is unbelievable. Coco is 12 points from 10."
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