Tensions flared for Coco Gauff during a dramatic semifinal defeat at the Dubai Tennis Championships, as the World No. 4 appeared to vent her frustration toward her coaching team.
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DUBAI — Tensions flared for Coco Gauff during a dramatic semifinal defeat at the Dubai Tennis Championships, as the World No. 4 appeared to vent her frustration toward her coaching team in the midst of a gruelling contest.
Gauff lost 4-6, 7-6, 4-6 to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in a marathon match that lasted three hours. The game was full of momentum shifts, but a key moment in the middle of the second set drew as much focus as the tennis itself.
After striking one of her 12 double faults on the afternoon, the 20-year-old American visibly bristled. Turning away from the court, Gauff could be heard expressing her exasperation, saying, “I've been doing everything you've wanted for the last six months...” She then appeared to lower her voice before adding, “And it's gotten not better at all, bro.”
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Many people saw the comments as aimed at her serving coach, Gavin MacMillan, who joined her team before last year’s US Open.
MacMillan, a biomechanics expert with experience in various sports, notably collaborated with Aryna Sabalenka in 2022 to help improve her serve. Gauff brought him in to tackle ongoing serving issues, as she led the WTA Tour in double faults last season with over 300.
Despite making technical adjustments to her service motion, the problem reemerged during crucial moments against Svitolina. Gauff succeeded in saving four match points in a tense second-set tie-break to push the match to a deciding set, but she couldn't stop Svitolina’s momentum.
The Ukrainian player, now 31, reached her first Dubai final in nearly a decade, where she will compete against American Jessica Pegula. Pegula earned her spot in the final by coming from behind to defeat her fellow American, Amanda Anisimova, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
For Gauff, the defeat was a bitter end to an otherwise strong week, underscored by visible frustration as she continues to search for greater consistency on serve.