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Coco Gauff’s serving issues have long been a talking point in women’s tennis, and despite her immense success at the highest level, the flaw continues to follow her into the 2026 season.
Now, former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has offered a candid assessment of what went wrong—and how the American star could have addressed the problem much earlier in her career.
Gauff has already achieved what many players never do, winning two Grand Slam titles, including a memorable triumph at the French Open last year.
That victory was particularly notable given that she battled persistent serving problems throughout the tournament in Paris, underlining her ability to compete and win even when a key part of her game falters.
Serving issues come to a head
The problem became most visible during her US Open exit, where Coco Gauff appeared emotional on court as her serve deserted her under pressure.
Since then, questions about her serving mechanics have become routine during press conferences, adding scrutiny to an already demanding spotlight.
Heading into the new season, Gauff has expressed optimism after working for several months with coach Gavin MacMillan, a specialist often described as a “biomechanic coach.”
MacMillan previously helped Aryna Sabalenka improve her serve, and Cash believes his expertise could have resolved Coco Gauff’s issues far sooner.
Pat Cash offers blunt assessment
Speaking to Tennis365 in his role as an ambassador at the Bank of China Hong Kong Open, Cash suggested the prolonged struggle was unnecessary.
“Gauff’s serve could have been a five minute fixing job, but she has taken her years to sort it out,” Cash said.
He highlighted his own experience working alongside MacMillan, pointing to tangible results.
“I worked alongside Gavin MacMillan as we found a solution to Brandon Nakashima’s serve and now he has gone on to become this serving guru.”
Wider concerns about coaching trends
Cash also used Coco Gauff’s situation to highlight what he sees as a broader issue in modern tennis—former players being underutilized despite their experience.
He referenced recent high-profile coaching splits as evidence that players are increasingly willing to move away from proven voices.
“As an ex-player, you are selling your intellectual knowledge to a player,” Cash explained. “You are selling 30 or 40 years of knowledge and experience and that is invaluable.”
He added that instability in coaching relationships often does more harm than good, drawing parallels with football and warning that players frequently undermine their own progress by failing to commit long-term.
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