Former World No. 1 Kim Clijsters has offered Coco Gauff important guidance to address the American’s ongoing serving difficulties, particularly her frequent double faults. As Gauff struggles to control her serve in critical moments, Clijsters shared her insights during a recent podcast episode aimed at helping the young player improve under pressure.
Background on Coco Gauff’s Serving Challenges
Throughout her career, Coco Gauff’s serve has been a persistent problem, marked by an unusually high number of double faults. Last season alone, the 21-year-old committed 431 double faults, which was the highest total on the WTA Tour. The next closest player, Ekaterina Alexandrova, recorded 300 double faults. Despite adding biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to her coaching team in 2025 to address this issue, Gauff’s serving woes have continued into the current season.
Recognizing the problem, Clijsters recently spoke on her “Love All” podcast with advice centered on simplifying Gauff’s approach and focusing on mental clarity. Clijsters explained,
“I always loved aiming at targets. I used to visualise targets during my match, even when they weren’t there, and that really helped me a lot as well. So, you know, there’s a lot of things that they can do, but, you know, sometimes less is more. I think, especially in this situation, there are so many people, and we’re talking about it too, right? Like, there are so many people talking about it. And so I think sometimes in her situation, less is more.”
?Kim Clijsters, Former World No. 1 tennis player
Kim Clijsters Shares Insights from Her Career Success
Kim Clijsters brings a wealth of experience to her advice, having competed on the WTA Tour for more than two decades. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles and claimed three WTA Finals championships. She also held the No. 1 ranking for 20 weeks, combining skill and mental toughness to reach the pinnacle of women’s tennis. Her understanding of the psychological aspects of serving lends credibility to the guidance she offers Gauff.
Focusing on the Mental Aspect Behind Gauff’s Serve
Coco Gauff’s serving troubles became especially evident during the semifinals of the Dubai Open, where she committed 12 double faults against Elina Svitolina. At one point in the match, frustration overturned her composure, leading to a visible dejected response in conversation with her team. Clijsters emphasized the mental challenges linked with serving struggles, noting,
“We saw her get frustrated, which is totally fine, and I get the frustration, the disappointment in herself, in the serve. I totally get it, but it’s going to take time, and I think she’s going to keep having to put the time into it and the hours and a lot of times when it is that mental side of it, that is something that you can’t practice, right?”
?Kim Clijsters, Former World No. 1 tennis player
Upcoming Opportunity for Gauff at Indian Wells
Looking ahead, Coco Gauff is preparing for the Indian Wells Open, slated to take place from March 4 to 15, where she will compete on home soil. This tournament presents a significant chance for her to apply Clijsters’ advice and work toward regaining confidence and consistency in her serve. Given the importance of serving in high-stakes matches, mastering the mental approach may prove vital in turning around her recent difficulties.
By concentrating on mental resilience and simplifying her focus during serves, Gauff could potentially reduce the pressure causing these errors. The combination of expert biomechanical support from Gavin MacMillan and Clijsters’ firsthand serving strategy advice creates a promising foundation for the young player’s improvement trajectory.
