If there was one thing Coco Gauff wrestled with last season, it was her serve. Despite working through repeated serving issues and even bringing in biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan onto her team, progress was slow. Critics were quick to weigh in, often pointing to her unpredictable service game as the culprit whenever matches slipped away.

Now, the new year has brought with it some of the same problems for Gauff. And this time, even Stefanos Tsitsipas’ brother joined in on the conversation after the world No. 3 racked up six double faults. “Gauff isn’t in her best form. She is struggling with her serve. I like Maria [Sakkari]’s chances,” he said.

On Wednesday, Gauff locked horns with Maria Sakkari in a nail-biter at the United Cup. But instead of getting drawn into the noise, the American let her tennis do the talking. She responded with a statement performance on the court.

And Petros was proved wrong quick as Coco Gauff roared back with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 smackdown. The 21-year-old handed Team USA a 1-0 lead in their quarterfinal tie against Greece. As tennis journalist Jose Morgado posted, “[Coco] Gauff 4-0”

So far, Coco Gauff has been lighting it up for Team USA in Australia. She flipped the script against Argentina, crushing her singles match and sealing the deal in mixed doubles with Christian Harrison. Sure, Taylor Fritz dropped his singles to Sebastian Baez, but Gauff’s heroics powered through.

Earlier, Spain put up a fight in their second tie. The two-time Grand Slam champion stumbled in singles to Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. Coco Gauff called it “one of the worst matches of her career” after a brutal 6-1, 6-7, 6-0 loss to Bouzas Maneiro. The reigning champs from last year suddenly stared down trouble.

But redemption hit quickly. Teaming with Christian Harrison, Gauff rallied from an early break for a dominant 7-6(5), 6-0 mixed doubles smackdown over Inigo Cervantes and Yvonne Cavalle-Reimers. With that, they knocked Spain out, and the quarterfinals were locked in. Leaving Gauff more than relieved, as she posted on her IG story later on:

“lol had to redeem myself, glad to be moving through to the quarterfinals 🙏🏾🙏🏾 shoutout taylor and christian.”

It’s been a bumpy ride for the 21-year-old star, on and off the court. She stirred fans with comments on US support overseas but was quick to clear the air.

Coco Gauff responds to online backlash for overseas fan comment

When the United Cup fired up, the American starlet didn’t hold back on U.S. fan vibes Down Under. At her pre-tournament presser, when asked if she felt the energy of the crowds cheering for Team USA, Gauff was blunt:

“I’ll be honest, no,” Gauff admitted. “I feel like we’re definitely, in the tennis department, the worst when it comes to that.”

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Critics jumped in fast, but Coco Gauff fired back with clarity before her clash against Spain’s Jéssica Bouzas Maneiro. She hit X to set the record straight, stressing she meant local fans already in the mix.

“I’m going to clarify because people are dragging this out of context,” Gauff wrote. “I’m not expecting people to travel to tournaments to watch us play.”

She nailed the real issue: crowds at U.S. events or abroad who show up but skip cheering their own stars, outside the US Open, anyway.

“But there are many tournaments that we have in America and abroad where Americans are already attending, regardless of who is playing (excluding the US Open), where people come and don’t really cheer for their countryman player.”

But Coco Gauff lit up the contrast with smaller nations’ epic flag-waving passion, especially in team battles: “Whereas those from smaller countries come with their colors and flags, and it is clear on who they are supporting.”

“I was just speaking from my perspective,” she wrote. “Trust me I understand the financial aspect of things and know tennis is not accessible for everyone. It was more of a comment for those who are already attending and how I wish they were as passionate as those from other countries, more specifically, team events.”

The champion cleared the air just in time for the fans to gear up for their semifinal appearance. Coco Gauff and Team USA will now tackle either Poland or Australia next in Sydney. Can the defending champions charge back to the finals? Let’s hear your predictions below!