The stars have finally aligned for America’s Coco Gauff. After criticisms following her forehand, serve, and double-fault errors, the WTA star has proven her worth in China. Not only Gauff but also her new coach Matt Daly is also in the spotlight following his student’s great performance in Riyadh. As Gauff stuns another formidable opponent with incredible skill, former player Andy Roddick delves deeper highlighting how the change in her mentorship improved her game.

Roddick had a surprising reaction to Gauff’s incredible performance after the 2024 US Open. The former US Open champion couldn’t defend her title successfully at the Flushing Meadows this season. Followed by serve forehand and double fault issues, Gauff exited the Grand Slam event after her defeat against Emma Navarro in the Round of 16. After a disappointing exit from the American Slam, Gauff showed incredible prowess in the 2024 China Open and the Wuhan Open. This American WTA star won the China Open title and left the Wuhan Open as a semifinalist. She already defeated Jessica Pegula and Iga Swiatek in the two Group Stage matches of the 2024 WTA Tour Finals. Gauff’s surprising rise in the performance stunned veteran Andy Roddick.

“I think Coco looks actually great post-US Open. I almost feel like she needed to get though that tournament and that title defense to kinda open up a little bit. And one thing I have noticed JW that serve looks way better and I know she double-faulted some, I think it was in Wuhan but the grip is better right so if I can do it on my iPhone then you can see it all. She kinda opened it in the start, it’s more straight on and what I am seeing that you’re not getting double faults, where one is 3 feet below the neckline and the next is 5 feet long. The variance in misses is way less. So credit to Matt Daly who I don’t think anyone had in their bingo card and wrongfully so cause he ha been a great coach.” said Roddick in his podcast Served. Roddick highlighted how Gauff has been working hard to improve her weak points and that is visible through her performance in the Asian Swing. He credits Gauff’s new coach Matt Daly with whom the American started working in September.

Gauff made 19 double-fault errors in the 2024 French Open. She lost her match against Navarro in the US Open because of this issue. Gauff also had severe forehand issues during the 2024 Roland Garros that surprised the fraternity. Now that she has improved her game, her admirers including the former ATP number one Andy Roddick seem hopeful of her chances.

Roddick also had an interesting opinion about Coco Gauff’s separation from her former coach Brad Gilbert. During a podcast recently, Roddick believed this change in mentorship impacted Gauff’s game positively offering her an accelerated boost.

Andy Roddick thinks separation from Brad Gilbert offered Coco Gauff with “little bit more energy”

The former ATP number one always had faith in Gauff’s ability. In a recent Tennis Channel podcast, he assessed the WTA star’s recent performance and noted that the player “has a little bit more energy in the camp because of the switch from Gilbert, there is something kind of buzzy about it.” Now, Roddick’s statement had leverage since Gauff outcasted her former doubles partner Jessica Pegula in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.

When the American won the 2024 China Open title, Roddick highlighted this coaching aspect in his podcast Served. “We’re talking about Coco Gauff, I want to give credit where credit’s due because the loss at the US Open, the 11 or 12 double faults in the third set, the questions post-Brad Gilbert, dealing with a lot of things to create a bit of a momentum set that even with the second serve rearing it’s ugly head again against Sabalenka and almost winning that match,” said Roddick.

Andy Roddick’s statement about Coco Gauff highlighted the latter’s potential. Despite ups and downs this season, Gauff has shown an incredible spirit. Well, she definitely deserves all the love from the fraternity. Now, it is time to see if she can keep up with her performance and win another title in Riyadh.