Coco Gauff has been compared to Novak Djokovic ahead of the WTA Finals (Image: Getty)
Coco Gauff has been told her backhand is even more powerful than the backhand of Novak Djokovic. The American is preparing for the WTA Finals in Riyadh after winning the event last year.
Gauff claimed the second Grand Slam title of her career in June when she defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open final. And she also won the Wuhan Open earlier this month after overcoming compatriot Jessica Pegula in the showpiece match. That victory in China means the 21-year-old has won every hard-court final she has appeared in throughout her career.
And turning her attention to Gauff, the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion explained: “She’s played nine hard-court finals and won them all. That’s crazy.
“One of those was last year in Riyadh, so look out if she gets rolling again. Her backhand is like Djokovic’s – maybe with even more power. It’s money.
Coco Gauff won the Wuhan Open earlier this month (Image: Getty)
Earlier this summer, Gauff teamed up with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, who was credited with solving Aryna Sabalenka’s serving issues.
Gauff, who won her first Grand Slam at the US Open in 2023, has been hampered by her serve in recent seasons and has been guilty of throwing in too many double faults at crucial moments.
Djokovic, himself, developed his serve under the guidance of a string of coaches as his career progressed, with his link-up with Goran Ivanisevic in 2019 especially facilitating a significant improvement when it came to that part of the Serbian’s game.
Gauff will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Djokovic as her partnership with MacMillan matures.
And discussing her new coaching arrangement, Gauff told The National: “I feel like with my serve, there have been a lot of comments and opinions, and things that I’ve tried and it just didn’t help. I’m a very logic-based person and I felt like this was the best thing to make it logical for me.
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“I was looking at Novak and he’s someone who didn’t have as great of a serve in the beginning of his career, obviously different issue than me, but he just wasn’t serving as strong.
“And he made that change and has gone on to obviously be Novak Djokovic. And even at that time, he was still like a successful player.”
Meanwhile, Navratilova said of Gauff: “When the serve is happening, it’s a real weapon, and I’m glad she’s figuring that out. Her movement is better than anybody else.”
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