“Her serve is as big as anybody’s on tour,” is what Serena Williams‘ ex-coach Rennae Stubbs said about Coco Gauff. Even though the young champ has faced flak about her serve issues, Rennae Stubbs has backed her amid tough times. While the change in coach for Gauff added more confidence within the renowned coach, one of her recent predictions turned out to be true. So she couldn’t hold herself back from boasting about it.

Coco Gauff began her WTA Finals campaign in style. The young American delivered a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory over compatriot Jessica Pegula. Gauff came out strong as she broke Pegula’s serve five times out of eight opportunities. This allowed her to take control of the match, and she looked in top form throughout. The WTA Finals, which features the top eight ranked players of the year, could be an exciting opportunity as she aims to finish her season in a high-ranking spot.

Soon after the gripping showdown ended, Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs took to the social media platform X to share her thoughts. “Remember what I said about @CocoGauff in the finals. Less than 6 double faults a match, she wins them all!” she wrote.

This comment was concerning a prediction that turned out to be true. Earlier, she mentioned on her podcast that Gauff’s key to success would be minimizing double faults. “If she serves less than six double faults in her matches, no matter what match she plays, she will win the tournament,” Stubbs stated confidently.

Gauff showcased notable improvements in her serve throughout the match against Pegula. Although she only hit only two aces, her double fault count remained at two, staying well below Stubbs’ predicted threshold of six. This improvement in her service game caught the attention of many analysts. Especially with this issue emerging as the most worrying aspect of her game throughout the ongoing season.

The American star’s improvements can also be attributed to her coaching change. She parted ways with Brad Gilbert in September and quickly found success under the guidance of new coach Matt Daly. Under Daly, Gauff won the China Open and proved that her game has reached new heights. She also reached the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open, where ultimately world number one Aryna Sabalenka handed her a swift defeat as she went on to win the tournament.

With this victory over Pegula, Gauff now looks ahead to more tough competition in the WTA Finals. With her group consisting of other strong rivals, including Iga Swiatek and Barbora Krejcikova, things could go south for her. However, soon after the match, Gauff explained the strategic changes she has made in her serve lately.

Coco Gauff unveils the serve changes made after collaboration with Matt Daly

Tennis coach Rick Macci, who has worked with legends like Serena Williams and Andy Roddick, believes that Coco Gauff’s second serve issue is an easy problem to solve. Macci has faith that Gauff will overcome this hurdle with the right adjustments. He sees her potential to improve even further, especially in high-pressure moments like the WTA Finals.

During her WTA Finals opening press conference, the  20-year-old confirmed that she has worked on changes to her serve. When asked about the comments from Jessica Pegula, who noticed a slight grip change, Gauff highlighted that she has made adjustments in that area. “Yeah, no, I have made change with that,” Gauff said, explaining how hard it can be to implement new techniques during an ongoing season. She admitted that while the change felt difficult initially, she knew it was necessary for her long-term success. “It is difficult, but you got to think of the long-term and the long run,” she added.

Gauff also shared that she spent two weeks working on her serve at home before heading to the WTA Finals. She expressed confidence in the adjustments, even though it is still a work in progress. “When it was going well, it was going really well. Yeah, I think I just need more time with it,” she said. While there is more to tennis than a strong serve, Gauff’s ability to fix this issue could restore the same old levels in her game. She has already made significant improvements under the guidance of coach Matt Daly. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how far the new mentor can lead her.