Hiring a big-name coach can help, but it also comes with pressure. Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek admitted as much ahead of the US Open, saying a coach’s proven track record can raise expectations. Suddenly, players are not just trying to win. They also feel pressure to show everyone that the partnership is working.
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“I mean, obviously, last year I knew all the eyes were going to be on the serve, and I think, you know, Gavin is so great at what he does,” Gauff said in her press conference. “I felt a lot of pressure even then, own pressure that I put on myself to kind of prove that he’s great at what he does, and I didn’t, I don’t know, and it didn’t really show within the first two weeks, which is normal.”
Even after winning the French Open last year, Gauff was fighting problems with her forehand and serve, sometimes piling up double-digit double faults. Frustrated, she brought in biomechanist Gavin MacMillan, who had already helped Aryna Sabalenka clean up her double faults and build a more reliable serve by adjusting her motion.
MacMillan’s quick turnaround with Sabalenka only raised expectations for Gauff. When Sabalenka’s serve fell apart in 2022, he rebuilt her mechanics and helped nearly cut her double faults in half. She went on to win her first Grand Slam at the 2023 Australian Open, giving MacMillan a track record that was hard to ignore.
But Gauff hired him just days before the US Open, leaving little time for a full rebuild. So instead of chasing bigger first serves right away, they focused on getting the ball in and starting points while making bigger changes behind the scenes.
The fix did not come overnight. Gauff still hit 12 and 16 double faults in Dubai and another 10 in Madrid. But from Wimbledon through her Cincinnati title run, she played 16 matches while averaging fewer than five double faults per match. That added reliability also gave her more confidence to attack the net, helping fuel a Wimbledon semifinal and her Cincinnati title.
When Gauff’s comments were brought up to Iga Swiatek, the Pole said she understood the feeling and had dealt with similar pressure herself, though she kept the details vague.
“I felt it as well,” Swiatek said in her press conference. “It’s funny she talks about that. Honestly, different things can happen, but yeah, I had a similar experience, so I understand her.”
It is no secret that Swiatek is a huge fan of Rafael Nadal, and the Pole practiced under the Spaniard’s watchful eye for a brief session earlier this year.
Having a veteran like Roig in her corner naturally raises expectations for Swiatek. Naomi Osaka has spoken about feeling similar pressure with Patrick Mouratoglou, whose long run of success with Serena Williams made every result feel more closely watched.
Swiatek and Gauff enter the US Open as two of the hottest players on tour. Swiatek won Toronto, while Gauff followed with the Cincinnati title. More importantly, both now seem comfortable with their coaching setups, putting them in a strong position to make a deep run in New York.