Coco Gauff is making waves once again at the China Open, staying on course to defend her 2024 title. The American star defeated Eva Lys in straight sets to advance to the semifinals, showcasing her determination and mental fortitude as the tournament enters its critical stages.
Earlier in the event, Gauff had a brief confrontation with Belinda Bencic, but she has since refocused, letting her game speak for itself. Despite her progress, certain aspects of Gauff’s game, particularly her serve, have continued to draw scrutiny.
Serve struggles remain a key area for Gauff
While Coco Gauff’s all-around performance is impressive, her serve has been a recurring weakness. Analysts point out that her double fault rate remains higher than desirable, highlighting the need for refinement in this critical part of her game.
“Gauff is head and shoulders above any other player when it comes to double faults,” experts note, emphasizing that improving this element could elevate her game to new heights.
How Coco Gauff differs from Iga Swiatek
A recent biomechanical analysis provides insight into what separates Coco Gauff from Iga Swiatek, particularly in serving mechanics. Levi Huddleston, a Machine Learning Engineer for Tennis Australia, examined data from both players and identified key differences.
“We have analysed the data that we have and said that biomechanically we can track the limbs of different players and say what looks different,” Huddleston explained on the Australian Open TV podcast. “I tried to find a player who serves well and has a similar height to Coco. So Iga and Coco, both 5ft 9, about 175cm, so you can compare apples to apples there.”
According to the analysis, Swiatek generates 24% more leg drive and 23% more wrist speed on her second serve compared to Gauff. This additional acceleration allows Iga Swiatek to produce faster, more effective serves, whereas Coco Gauff has yet to fully unlock her power in this area.
Huddleston concluded: “Hopefully, we will see some real changes there, because I think once she locks in that serve, it’s going to be crazy.”
As Gauff moves into the semifinals, fans and analysts will be watching closely to see if she can adjust her serve and translate her overall talent into another championship run. While her athleticism and court coverage remain elite, refining her serve could be the difference between good and dominant on the WTA Tour.