Wimbledon Loss 'Turned Around Gauff's Career' According To Former Serena Williams' Coach
WTA
Coco Gauff had a spectacular turnaround in 2023, one which started at Wimbledon, according to former WTA player Rennae Stubbs.
Stubbs has served as Serena Williams' most recent coach, who was with her at her final event. Before that, she had a successful tennis career, so she knows what she's talking about when it comes to tennis.
As someone who has watched Gauff up close, Stubbs firmly believes that the Wimbledon loss to Sofia Kenin turned her season around. It's hard to argue against it because it really did.
It was somewhat of a low point for Gauff, who knew that things had to change. She went back home to the United States and brought in an experienced voice (Brad Gilbert), which changed a lot of things, and Stubbs discussed it in her Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.
"It's sort of similar to Serena losing the first round of the French Open, yeah to French player, what was her name the glasses, Virginie Razzano. I think that match turned around Serena's career, and I think that this match turned around Coco's."
"She was out of there, she lost kind of earlyish in the doubles as well, so she left early, went back to Florida and started training on hardcourt and you know, got Brad Gilbert to help her out once Wimbledon was over, and his ESPN duties were done."
The result of all of that was her winning a couple of events leading up to the US Open, where she won her first Grand Slam title.
It was a career-shifting moment for the young American. Many point to Gilbert as the main reason why it all happens, and Stubbs certainly thinks he greatly helped by simply allowing her to accept her tennis as it is. It's not perfect, but it's good enough to win, and he was right.
"I think that what it did to her is that he made her understand I think that it's yes your forehand is definitely dodgy, definitely needs to change in some respects or we deal with it and we use all of what you've got going for you which is your legs, quickest player on tour you know arguably other than maybe Iga."
"Unbelievable backhand, serve when it's going in is huge very difficult to break her, good at the net, so good at the net, so everything she has going for her except the forehand so okay let's not miss the forehand and let's improve everything else and that's what happened."
