What Matt Daly has been doing even when Coco Gauff has been losing matches which has really helped her

Posted by Admin January 10, 2025 Tennis

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Coco Gauff praised Matt Daly and his coaching style ahead of the Australian Open.

The World number three parted ways with Brad Gilbert in September, following a disappointing set of results over the summer.

She decided to hire Daly and since their partnership began Gauff has lost just two matches and claimed three titles.

The 20-year-old seems to have elevated her game under her new coach, Gauff’s improved form has come at just the right time with the Australian Open set to begin on Sunday.

What has Coco Gauff said about her coach Matt Daly?

After a solid first half of the 2024 season, Coco Gauff’s form took a drastic dip over the jam-packed summer.

She did not progress beyond the fourth round at Wimbledon and the Olympic Games, in addition to the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters, before failing to defend the US Open title.

But Daly seems to have unlocked a new level of play for Gauff, as she went on to win the China Open and WTA Finals at the end of 2024. Furthermore, Gauff won each of her United Cup matches without dropping a set.

Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images

Following the United States’ victory in that team event in Sydney, Gauff told the WTA Insider podcast that adding Daly to her team has been instrumental to recent success, and she loves his style of coaching.

“I think definitely adding Matt Daly to the team for sure. He’s always a good support and the same with J.C,” she said. “They’re constantly speaking positivity into me and when a group of people speak so much positivity into you just believe it.

“Regardless of the scoreline they’re constantly being positive and I think that was just something I needed in myself because I can be a negative person, but I’m trying to work on being positive.”

What changes has Matt Daly made to Coco Gauff’s game?

Gauff was struggling with her serve and forehand before Daly joined her team.

One of the worst examples of her serve going awry with Daly in charge was against Aryna Sabalenka in the Wuhan Open semi-finals, where Gauff served 21 double faults in a three-set defeat.

But as Daly aimed to help make these shots more consistent and reliable, Gauff outlined a subtle change implemented by her coach which is certainly working for her.

“I don’t want to give too much of what’s going on, but there are changes happening,” Gauff said in October 2024.

“I’ve been playing with them (new grip) since Beijing. I’m very open. He has a lot of expertise in that area.”