Former World No. 1 Andy Roddick recently recounted his collaboration with Coco Gauff’s team to refine her serve ahead of the 2024 Australian Open.
Gauff’s meteoric rise in the WTA Tour during the latter part of 2023 culminated in her clinching the US Open title, a significant achievement at just 19 years old.
Despite her success, certain elements of Gauff’s serve had been identified as areas needing improvement, prompting her coach Brad Gilbert to seek assistance during the off-season. Recognizing Roddick’s legendary serving prowess, Gilbert enlisted his expertise to aid Gauff’s preparations for Melbourne.
Roddick, renowned for his exceptional serving skills, shared insights from his collaboration with Gauff in a recent podcast episode. He lauded the young American’s receptiveness to new concepts, noting her rapid grasp of the adjustments. “With Coco, 15 minutes in she understood the concept.
The good ones (first serves) were 124, pretty much on command. The second serve was consistent, and had more height,” Roddick remarked, reflecting on their training sessions. He commended Gauff’s dedication and professionalism, emphasizing her potential to become a dominant server despite the anticipated learning curve.
Impressed by Gauff’s work ethic and demeanor, Roddick expressed his admiration, stating his readiness to assist her further if needed. Reflecting on their collaboration, he remarked, “There are people who don’t work as hard… they’re not a household name like Coco Gauff is. For someone who hasn’t turned 20, I was absolutely blown away.”
