Serena Williams' ex-coach makes bold prediction about Coco Gauff's Australian Open 2025 chances

Serena Williams' ex-coach Rennae Stubbs recently predicted Coco Gauff's upcoming campaign at the 2025 Australian Open. Stubbs opined that Gauff will win her second Grand Slam title in Melbourne despite the threat of two-time reigning Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, the current World No. 1 in the WTA Tour singles rankings.

Stubbs' bold prediction came during a recent episode of The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast. However, despite the former doubles No. 1's belief that Gauff has it in her to win the 2025 Australian Open, she also laid bare a particular aspect of the Melbourne courts that the American may find tricky to deal with following her United Cup exploits in Sydney.

"I'm going to say that I think Coco Gauff will win the Australian Open. The only issue is I hear it's faster in Melbourne than it was in Sydney, so that will help Aryna if it's a bit quicker," Stubbs said. (at 44:41)

The 53-year-old did admit that Aryna Sabalenka has a chance of making it a 'three-peat' at the hardcourt Major, before reiterating her prediction in favor of Coco Gauff.

"But I'm going to go Coco. I do slightly think Sabalenka might be the one, but I'm going to say Coco might get it," Stubbs added.

Stubbs famously coached the legendary Serena Williams for her 2022 US Open campaign, which ended tearfully in the third round with a shock loss to Ajla Tomljanovic. The defeat marked the end of Williams' illustrious tennis career.

Another ex-coach of Williams recently assessed Gauff's chances of becoming the World No. 1 in the not-too-distant future.

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"Coco Gauff will launch like a rocket" - Serena Williams' former coach Rick Macci

In Picture: Coco Gauff (Source: Getty)

Veteran coach Rick Macci, who played a pivotal role in developing both Venus and Serena Williams' games during the sisters' childhood, believes that Coco Gauff will soon overtake rivals Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka to become the new World No. 1. Gauff is currently No. 3 in the world, behind the top-ranked Belarusian and the Pole.

"Confidence breeds confidence. She always had that in her back pocket but now shifted to her front pocket and Coco will launch like a rocket. Number one around the corner," Macci wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Gauff ended the 2024 tennis season in red-hot form, securing the prestigious year-end WTA Finals title. The American started the 2025 season in the same vein, spearheading USA's run to the United Cup title, which earned her the award of MVP at this year's edition of the international mixed-team tennis event.