Even before Coco Gauff stepped onto the Montreal court, sparks were bound to fly in her showdown with Danielle Collins. Still nursing the sting of a shocking Wimbledon first-round exit, the World No. 2 and reigning French Open champion walked in with fire in her eyes. On the other side stood a retiring warrior in Collins, hungry for one last hurrah. The battle raged deep into a deciding tie-break, where Gauff clawed out victory. Then came Kudermetova, another test, another push to the edge, and Gauff survived again. Yet, beneath the triumphs, a storm brews: her second serve, shaky and vulnerable. Now, with Rennae Stubbs stepping in, crucial advice lands as Gauff’s most glaring weakness roars to the surface in Montreal.

As Coco Gauff battles through the Canadian Masters today, the spotlight hasn’t just been on her results; it’s been blazing down on her second serve. Rennae Stubbs, the sharp-witted Aussie and former pro, didn’t shy away from dropping some tough love. Witnessing Gauff’s gritty 1st match win against Danielle Collins, Stubbs praised her warrior spirit: “Cocos speed, tenacity and fight wins her so many matches! I know it’s not over but trust me, I think she still wins this…she just never gives up. It’s a true testament to her guts! she doesn’t let the worst effect her best! sign of a champion.” Yet even in that wave of praise, a fan cut through the noise, asking the golden question: “That serve though. How to fix it?” Stubbs, candid as ever, fired back: “Time off and no Asia swing. That’s what I would do.”

But the narrative didn’t stop there. Gauff’s rollercoaster continued as she outlasted Veronika Kudermetova in three tense sets to punch her ticket to the R16. Stubbs returned to X (formerly Twitter) to echo her admiration: “No matter what is happening. Coco never gives up. Never! It wins her so many matches.” Still, the second-serve debate raged on. A curious fan asked about technical fixes, maybe a kick serve, maybe more pace on the first? Stubbs didn’t miss: “Yes. She 100% needs a kick second serve but she’s unable to do that with her grip and her ball toss. Also she gets forward too early as well and her elbow is low. There are many things to tweak.”

Coco Gauff clawed her way past Veronika Kudermetova on Thursday at the Canadian Open in Montreal, edging out a gritty 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory. But while the win keeps her campaign alive, the numbers behind the scenes paint a more worrying picture. For the second straight match, Gauff went the distance in three sets and once again found herself haunted by her serve. She tallied 14 double faults in the Round of 32, coming off an alarming 23 in her opening-round clash. The serve, long her Achilles’ heel, refuses to let go.

This isn’t a new storm for the American ace. At Wimbledon, the pressure cracked her game open in the first round, where she mustered just six winners against a staggering 29 unforced errors and nine double faults on Court No. 1. The unraveling wasn’t a one-off. In Berlin, fresh off her French Open glory, Gauff was stunned by Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu, drenched in 25 unforced errors and seven double faults in a flat 6-3, 6-3 defeat. The alarm bells only rang louder.

Then came the Italian Open, where Jasmine Paolini carved her up in straight sets as Gauff’s stats once again betrayed her: eight double faults and 55 unforced errors. 

As Montreal rolls forward, the American teen sensation knows the clock is ticking. The US Open looms, and with it, the urgent need for a serving overhaul grows louder by the day.

Coco Gauff speaks out after reaching R16 at Montreal Open

In a rollercoaster Round of 32 showdown at the Montreal Open, Coco Gauff found herself under siege early but ultimately stormed back with trademark fire. The 21-year-old American started strong against Veronika Kudermetova, holding serve and breaking immediately to jump ahead 2–0. With both players exchanging holds to 4–2, Gauff seemed in full control until the Russian flipped the script. Kudermetova broke back, then reeled off three straight games, including a second break, to snatch the opening set 6–4.

The second set brought more trouble as Kudermetova carried her momentum forward, breaking Gauff and holding serve to carve out a quick 2–0 lead. But just as the tide seemed to be turning for good, Gauff struck. At 0–30 on Kudermetova’s serve, she pounced, breaking to level the set at 3–3, then consolidating with a fierce hold to take the lead. At 6–5, Gauff applied the pressure, and Kudermetova cracked. Gauff snatched the set 7–5 and forced a decider.

There, Gauff flipped the switch. She opened with a roar, jumping out to a 3–0 lead after holding twice and breaking once. Her serve, which had been shaky, with seven and six double faults in the first two sets, suddenly found its rhythm. In the third, she delivered just one. Up 5–2, she slammed the door shut with a final break to close the match in gritty, grinding fashion.

Reflecting on her service problem, Gauff said, “I’m sure everyone can read my body language, so I don’t think I’m gonna be that nice to myself. Mentally I’m very proud of myself. There are obviously parts of my games I have to work on and one of those is the serve.” However, as disappointed as she was with her serve, she still couldn’t help but look at the silver lining. “The fact I’m winning these matches not feeling my best is something to be proud of. I only can look forward to the future when I am feeling my best.. hopefully it’s a bit easier.”

Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, now awaits her next challenge, a rematch with Canada’s Victoria Mboko from the Italian Open this year. Let the fire continue.