Back when Serena Williams was ranked World No. 10 after her return from maternity leave, many still viewed her as the true No. 1, because greatness can’t always be boxed into official rankings. That’s where the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) steps in, revealing deeper truths. Fast forward to now: Serena’s torch is blazing in the hands of Coco Gauff. With two Grand Slam titles already in her arsenal and her game growing fiercer by the day, Gauff just echoed Serena’s legacy by rising above Aryna Sabalenka in the UTR standings. In the world of alternative rankings, the new queen is loud and clear, and her name is Coco.

Aryna Sabalenka may be ruling the official WTA Rankings with a commanding lead, but the crown she really craves continues to slip through her fingers. In a season where her power-packed performances have lit up the circuit, it’s the Grand Slam glory that remains painfully elusive. After falling short in the Australian Open final to Madison Keys, she suffered another heartbreak in Paris, this time losing to the unrelenting Coco Gauff in a fiery French Open final. At Wimbledon, the agony continued as Amanda Anisimova handed her a crushing semi-final defeat. Now, all eyes are on the US Open, Sabalenka’s final shot at etching her name onto a major trophy in 2025.

Despite her major stumbles, Sabalenka has muscled through big titles this year with dominant victories in Miami and Madrid. But when the stakes soar, so do her struggles. Those setbacks have cracked open the door for Coco Gauff, who has now surged past her in the ever-evolving Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) standings. In a system that weighs quality over quantity, Gauff’s win over Sabalenka in Paris was the rocket fuel she needed to snatch that No. 1 spot, at least on the UTR scoreboard.

Unlike traditional rankings that reward consistency over an entire year, the UTR digs deeper. It rewards players for recent form and tough wins, adjusting scores in real time based on opponents’ strengths. And that’s where Coco shines; her triumph over higher-ranked Sabalenka carried enormous weight. 

Even Iga Swiatek is rising fast on this ladder after delivering a jaw-dropping Wimbledon performance that included a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of Anisimova, fresh off her own win over Sabalenka. These seismic victories shift the UTR landscape like a storm.

For those unfamiliar, UTR offers an intriguing twist to the tennis narrative. Founded in 2008 by Dave Howell and now backed by titans like Larry Ellison, Roger Federer’s TEAM8, billionaire Dirk Ziff, and even Novak Djokovic, UTR rates all players, regardless of age, gender, or region, on a unified scale from 1.00 to 16.50. It’s about form, not history. Win big against better players? Your score soars. Struggle against lower-ranked ones? Prepare to slide.

Now, Coco leads with a razor-thin UTR edge of 12.99 over Sabalenka’s 12.96. But even as she sits atop that throne, the frustration brews beneath. Her game needs to click soon. Because while the rankings say she’s number one, her performance needs to start roaring like it again.

Coco Gauff vents frustration over mounting double faults

Coco Gauff’s post-Paris run has been anything but smooth. Since her crowning moment at Roland Garros, the American ace has shown signs of vulnerability. A stinging first-round exit at Wimbledon rattled her confidence, and now in the blazing heat of Montreal, she seems to be battling not just opponents, but her own serve.

In a dramatic opening match against Danielle Collins, Gauff scraped through with a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) victory, but the stat sheet screamed louder than the crowd: 23 double faults. Her first serve continues to be a rollercoaster, robbing her of rhythm just when she needs it most. And the struggle didn’t stop there.

Up against Veronika Kudermetova in the next round, Gauff survived again, winning 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. But the story repeated, 14 more double faults. That’s a jaw-dropping total of 37 double faults across two matches. Still, she keeps surviving, keeps swinging, and keeps chasing perfection. After the match, she faced the press with brutal honesty.

“I don’t want to live that stat and I want to do better. I know probably I won’t be ever like double fault free, but I can get that to like 2 per set, 3 per set, it would make a big difference in just making these matches a lot easier,” Gauff said, her tone razor-sharp with self-awareness. “But the fact that I’m winning matches and finding ways to win with that is definitely a positive. But I’m a tough critic on myself. I know I can do better and I know I should do better and it will get better. It’s just a matter of time.”

Now, as she gears up to face Canadian hopeful Victoria Mboko tomorrow, the big question looms: will Coco cruise through in straight sets, or will another stormy battle await under the Montreal sky?