Should Coco Gauff consider ditching coach Brad Gilbert in light of recent form slump?
Coco Gauff suffered a shock defeat in the second round of the Cincinnati Open. Gauff was one of the favorites to go deep in the tournament as she looked to defend a WTA 1000 title for the first time in her career, but the 20-year-old was ousted by World No. 34 Yulia Putintseva.
The early exit has increased the pressure on Gauff after lacklustre performances at Wimbledon and the Olympics. The American star was one of the most in-form players coming into the 2024 season after her US Open triumph in 2023, but things have not gone to plan for her this year.
Coco Gauff's recent performances have been well below expectations
Coco Gauff started 2024 fresh off winning her maiden Slam and WTA 1000 titles. She started the season well, with semifinal runs at the Australian Open and the French Open, but has faltered since then.
Gauff was eliminated in the Wimbledon fourth round by Emma Navarro. She then competed at the Olympics in Paris, where there were high hopes from her. But Gauff again failed to impress, losing in the third round against Donna Vekic.
Now, after back-to-back poor runs at WTA 1000 tournaments, Gauff is under a lot of scrutiny going into the US Open. She has failed to defend her Cincinnati Open title, and the pressure is mounting on the 20-year-old.
With things not going her way lately, it may be time for her to consider ditching coach Brad Gilbert.
Coco Gauff's results with coach Brad Gilbert have slid downhill
Coco Gauff opted to team up with Brad Gilbert after her first-round exit at Wimbledon 2023, and the changes to her coaching staff showed immediate results. The Gauff-Gilbert partnership won the Cincinnati Open before claiming the US Open title in front of a buoyant home crowd.
The Cincinnati and New York wins felt like a turning point in Gauff's career. She had finally claimed a Grand Slam title, after having come close on a few occasions earlier.
The young star was expected to carry on in the same vein in 2024, but she has failed to live up to the expectations so far.
Gauff's performances at Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics raised plenty of eyebrows. The 20-year-old has looked tired and out of ideas while competing against her opponents, and has gone back to her old habit of playing too defensively.
Now with the US Open on the horizon, Coco Gauff will be keen to put her poor form behind her and start fresh in her title defence. The US Open could well define her future with Brad Gilbert, as it is hard to see the American make such a big change right before a Grand Slam.
Gilbert played a big part in guiding Gauff to her maiden Grand Slam title in New York last year, and the American coach would hope to replicate that success again. With the home crowd behind her and her beloved hardcourt surface underneath, Gauff could very well get back to her best form and impress fans at the US Open again.
But if she doesn't, then Gilbert's job would likely be in danger.