Coco Gauff, the American tennis star and reigning French Open champion, openly expressed frustration over her serving difficulties during her semifinal loss to Elina Svitolina at the Dubai Tennis Championships on February 20, 2026. Despite efforts to address the problem, Gauff’s serve struggles have persisted, impacting her performance on the WTA circuit.
Throughout her season, Gauff has battled a surge in double faults, accumulating 55 across ten matches prior to Dubai, with 12 coming in the semifinal against Svitolina. These continued errors have prompted serious concern as she aims to regain form ahead of key upcoming tournaments.
Challenging Coaching Shift and Serving Challenges
Earlier in the season, Gauff made a strategic coaching change by hiring biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, renowned for helping Aryna Sabalenka fix her serve. The move, implemented shortly before the 2025 US Open, aimed to reduce Gauff’s double faults, which had risen sharply during the Canadian and Cincinnati Opens. Despite this expert intervention, Gauff’s inconsistencies on serve have not yet resolved, and rivals have frequently exploited these weaknesses.
During the Dubai semifinal, Gauff’s frustration became visible when she angrily struck her head with her racket, followed shortly by a double fault. She then vocally communicated her exasperation, telling MacMillan,
“I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last 6 months…”
This admission underscored the ongoing tension between her efforts and the lack of immediate improvement.
Record of Serving Errors and Implications for Upcoming Events
Gauff’s record before the Dubai tournament highlights significant difficulties with her serve. The 21-year-old had already logged 55 double faults in ten matches, with a troubling 12 recorded in the semifinal defeat to Svitolina. With the Sunshine Doubles in March on the horizon, the need for a solution is urgent, yet it remains unclear whether further coaching adjustments will follow.
MacMillan’s previous success with Sabalenka — transforming her serve and contributing to four Grand Slam titles in nearly four years — offers hope, but Gauff’s trajectory continues to face obstacles. The comparison illustrates the complexity and patience often required in overcoming serve-related issues at the highest level.
Gauff’s Mixed Performance and Reflections at the Dubai Championships
During the Dubai event, Gauff demonstrated resilience by overcoming a set deficit against Elise Mertens in a tough three-set match, narrowly avoiding defeat in the second set. However, her focus on singles and serving challenges has led to reduced participation in doubles competition despite being ranked World No.4 and holding a doubles Grand Slam title won with Katerina Siniakova at the 2024 French Open.
Regarding her serve, Gauff offered a tempered assessment following her win over Mertens:
“I’m trying to figure out the recipe… It’s a learning process. I think my serve is improving. I feel more comfortable going after it. The doubles are definitely less this year.”
This statement contrasted sharply with her visible frustration in the subsequent match against Svitolina.
Impact of Rivalries and Tournament Results
Gauff entered the Dubai semifinal with a 2-1 lead over Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina in their head-to-head record. However, after their two meetings this season, Svitolina now leads 3-2. The three-set match on February 20 lasted over three hours, ending with Svitolina prevailing 6-4, 7-6(13), 6-4.
This loss emphasized the challenges Gauff faces in maintaining consistency at the highest tier of competition, especially on crucial points involving serve reliability.
Broader Context: Serve Issues and Strategic Adjustments
Gauff’s serving troubles have notably influenced her playing strategy, including less frequent appearances in doubles tournaments. Experts and pundits have speculated that more doubles play could help her refine serve rhythm and confidence. Yet, her prioritization has shifted toward addressing singles performance problems.
The unresolved serve issues and visible frustrations, such as her outburst in Dubai, underscore the pressure faced by top players trying to balance technical adjustments with competitive demands. How Gauff navigates this period will be pivotal for her prospects in upcoming events, including the Sunshine Doubles and future Grand Slams.
Coco Gauff after hitting a double fault against Elina Svitolina in Dubai
"I've been doing everything you've wanted for the last 6 months…"
This is presumably to her biomechanics expert, Gavin MacMillan, who she hired before the US Open last season to help with her serve. pic.twitter.com/eobBoCyHDP
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) February 20, 2026
