Serena Williams' ex-coach urges Coco Gauff to take '1 giant step back' after Indian Wells shocker

Serena Williams' former coach Rick Macci recently gave his thoughts on Coco Gauff's fourth-round loss at the 2025 BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday (March 13). The American coach, who has been a staunch supporter of the 20-year-old for some time now, believes that she needs to look into her game and make changes to get back to winning ways.

Gauff has blown hot and cold ever since securing her maiden Major triumph at the 2023 US Open. Although the American won three singles titles last year, including the WTA Finals in Riyadh, she has struggled with consistency and bringing her A-game during big matches recently.

The World No. 3 seemed to have finally found some form at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells this week, as she led World No. 58 Belinda Bencic by a set in their Round-of-16 encounter. However, the Swiss soon flipped the script on her as the match went on, eventually eking out a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win in two hours and 21 minutes.

Against that background, Rick Macci, who has coached some of the best players in tennis, including Serena Williams, stated that Coco Gauff needed to take some time and iron out the kinks in her game. That said, he did heap rich praise on certain attributes of her game, including her backhand, mentality and footspeed.

"She the best counterpuncher I have seen. She is quicker than quick faster than fast. Her backhand and backbone are elite. Slice serve duece court is major league because she accidentally opens up too early and over rotates but gets the acute angle for free. To really correct/change something you need to take a 1 GIANT STEP BACK and address it biomechanically to take many GIANT STEPS forward," Rick Macci wrote on X.

Macci gives tidbits on both men's and women's tennis from time to time on his X handle. The 70-year-old has great knowledge of the sport and besides Serena Williams, he has also coached the likes of Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Andy Roddick.

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"All three share the same thread" - When Serena Williams' ex-coach compared Coco Gauff to the Williams sisters

Coco Gauff hits a backhand during 4R match in Indian Wells | Image Source: Getty

Last November, the American coach was very impressed with Gauff following her triumph at the year-end championships in Riyadh. He illustrated a comparison between the 20-year-old and the Williams sisters on X back then, claiming that all three players are leagues apart from other WTA players in their ability to handle pressure during important moments of a match.

"Asked if Coco is the next Venus or Serena. There is only one Venus. Only one Serena. But the Same Thread all 3 share and the most important Thread is how the Thread stabilizes under pressure and all 3 are cut from the same Cloth," Macci asserted in November 2024.

Coco Gauff, meanwhile, will be looking for a good showing at the Miami Open next week. The World No. 3's best result at the WTA 1000 event is reaching the Round of 16 in 2022 and 2024.