“I want my serve to be a real weapon, and it is in some moments, but being a weapon more consistently is what I want,” Coco Gauff declared after failing to defend her China Open crown, falling to fellow American Amanda Anisimova’s ruthless charge. Yet, like last year, Gauff turned the page with unshaken focus, storming through the Asian Swing to seize the Wuhan Open crown and reignite her WTA Finals pursuit. Now, as the lights blaze for the season’s grand finale, the 2-time Slam champion stands taller than ever, her game sharpened, her spirit untamed, as Martina Navratilova draws the ultimate parallel, comparing Gauff’s fire to Novak Djokovic’s relentless drive.

The stage is set in Riyadh, and the WTA Finals field is locked, a mosaic of power, passion, and perseverance. Eight of the world’s best have converged under the desert lights, each with a story stitched in sweat and survival. Some bulldozed through the season from start to finish; others clawed their way back through injuries, slumps, and doubt. But among them stands Coco Gauff, the young American who continues to redefine what it means to rise, rebuild, and roar.

When the WTA asked for insights on the final eight, Martina Navratilova’s attention immediately turned to Gauff. With the authority of a legend, she said, “She’s played nine hard-court finals and won them all. That’s crazy. One of those was last year in Riyadh, so look out if she gets rolling again.” The statement was more than praise, it was prophecy. Gauff’s record on hard courts reads like a streak of defiance, each final another reminder of her unstoppable surge.

Navratilova didn’t stop there. Her admiration deepened with every sentence. “Her backhand is like Djokovic’s — maybe with even more power. It’s money,” she added, drawing one of the boldest comparisons possible. To invoke Novak Djokovic’s name is to summon the gold standard of precision and poise, and for Gauff to share that company is no small compliment. 

Martina continued, “When the serve is happening, it’s a real weapon, and I’m glad she’s figuring that out. Her movement is better than anybody else’s.” In that single breath, Navratilova captured the essence of Gauff, speed, steel, and a growing sense of control.

“She can always depend on that,” Martina went on. “It’s the one thing fully under her control. She knows she can run and defend no matter what. Then she manages the rest. When she comes forward, she has a very good volley, and it’s hard to get the ball past her. She just won in Wuhan, so she should be confident.” And confident she is, Wuhan was not just another title, but a turning point, a sign that Gauff’s work behind the curtain was starting to sing on court.

That work began months ago, when she brought performance coach Gavin MacMillan on board at the start of the US Open. Rebuilding her serve, that once-tormenting weapon, was no overnight task. But both coach and player embraced the grind. “If your only goal is to try to win the US Open immediately, then yes, I would say like we’re going to struggle to try to do that,” MacMillan said in a candid interview with Tennis Channel. His tone was realistic, his focus relentless.

“If our goal is to get her ready for Australia next year, then obviously we’re gonna start making those changes immediately and give ourselves as much time to get her to be able to adjust to these things… The margins are very small. So the goal is overall obviously improvement,” he added before a warning that hit hard: “And if you’re not doing that, the people coming up in the sport are going to catch you. It’s just a function of time.”

Now, as Riyadh waits, Gauff knows the weight of what’s coming. Last year, she lifted her maiden WTA Finals trophy after outdueling Qinwen Zheng. This time, the stakes and the expectations are higher. 

“It’s a pretty tough title to defend, given that you’re playing the top eight players in the world,” Gauff admitted after her Wuhan triumph. Yet she stands undaunted, her focus razor-sharp, her spirit battle-tested. 

And as praise flows, even comparisons to Djokovic, the master of balance and will, swirl around her name, it feels poetic. Just like Novak’s legendary two-handed backhand, her strike carries that same bite, that same beauty. 

Her coach keeps refining the serve, her movement stays electric, and her fire, unmistakably, burns brighter than ever.

Gavin MacMillan reveals the hidden battle behind Gauff’s serve transformation

Gavin MacMillan, the same mastermind who helped Aryna Sabalenka conquer her serving demons through biomechanics, has now turned his attention to Coco Gauff. Their partnership has sparked curiosity across the tennis world, is there more to fix than just the double faults? The question echoed when MacMillan appeared on Tennis Channel, offering a glimpse into his precise philosophy.

“The goal for her, not first and foremost, is to establish an effective kick serve,” he revealed, emphasizing the foundation he aims to build. It’s not about quick fixes, but crafting trust, stroke by stroke, motion by motion.

MacMillan explained further, “The first goal is obviously, in my mind, to get an effective kick serve that she 100% trusts. And once we have that in place, we can start establishing, you know, hitting more effective first serves that not only have velocity but spin.” His words carried both science and soul.

“It’s not just one thing to hit it hard. If you hit it hard and it bounces flat, it’s into everybody’s wheelhouse,” he warned. 

With the WTA Finals on the horizon, the question now burns: can Coco make her serve sing under pressure and defend her crown in Riyadh? The answer may well lie in that elusive kick serve she’s learning to trust.