Coco Gauff: The New Yorker Profile
this excerpt from The New Yorker details Coco gauff’s purposeful decision to overhaul her serve during tournament play, specifically leading up to and including the US open. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
A Calculated Risk: Gauff is making a significant “technical change” to her serve, even if it means possibly losing early in tournaments. She prioritizes long-term improvement over immediate success. She felt she was “wasting time continuing doing the wrong things.”
Past Success & Stagnation: Gauff previously made successful changes with coach Daly, leading to a winning streak including the French Open. Though, her improvement stalled despite further adjustments to her grip and forehand.
The Weakness of Her Serve: Gauff has historically relied on her athleticism, game-reading ability, and grit to overcome a weak serve. She believes eliminating this weakness will unlock her full potential. She acknowledges winning through sheer effort was draining.
Technical Focus: Her current coach, MacMillan, takes a purely technical approach, focusing on the physics of the serve (angles, levers, acceleration) rather than the psychological aspects. Both Gauff and macmillan emphasize the issue is “biomechanical,” not mental. Early US Open Match: She won a messy, stressful frist-round match against Ajla Tomljanović, relying on slow, safe serves and her signature backhand.She views this match as a necessary challenge.
Underlying Stress: Despite the focus on technical fixes, the article hints at a deeper level of stress Gauff is experiencing, suggesting the pressure isn’t simply about the mechanics of the serve.
The article paints a picture of a highly driven athlete willing to take a gamble on a major change, even at the risk of immediate failure, in pursuit of long-term dominance. It also highlights the tension between the technical and psychological aspects of high-level sports performance.