Coco Gauff's chances at defending US Open title discussed by Chris Evert, John McEnroe

Coco Gauff’s chances at defending US Open title discussed by Chris Evert, John McEnroe

Posted by Admin August 20, 2024 Tennis

Marc Berman
| Special to The Post

Coco Gauff may be appearing on Wheaties cereal boxes during the U.S. Open, but that doesn’t mean the Delray Beach icon isn’t susceptible to constructive criticism.

With Gauff in a nosedive entering Monday’s U.S. Open as the defending champion, legend Chris Evert levied advice for the struggling 20-year-old. Gauff’s severe slump has been punctuated by on-court tears and a coaching outburst.

Evert, the Boca Raton resident who is ESPN’s star color commentator for the women’s side, didn’t like Gauff’s on-court display at Wimbledon when she looked up at the coaching box during her fourth-round loss and reprimanded them for lack of assistance.

The flamboyant Brad Gilbert became Gauff’s coach 13 months ago and saw her rise in the summer of 2023, culminating with a first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows last September.

“She was frustrated at them and seemed to be blaming them,” Evert said on a conference call Tuesday to promote ESPN’s Open coverage. “But really tennis is inside you. John (McEnroe) and I didn’t have the coaching they have now. We figured it out ourselves and played instinctive tennis. She’s got to do more of that. I hope there aren’t too many voices in her ear.

“When she got really upset and emotional during Wimbledon, she has to start figuring out her own game plan,” Evert added. “She’s got to start to trust her instincts when she’s playing a match and not always rely on patterns and coaches and people telling her what to do. I think she’s at an age where she’s got to play with a little more feel and instincts and believe in herself.”

Gauff is still ranked No. 3 – the highest-ranked American, male or female. But the super-hyped Gauff will lose a chunk of WTA ranking points if she loses early at the Open under the 12-month tracking formula.

Gauff’s dip began at Wimbledon and accelerated at the Summer Olympics. After being named the USA women’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies in Paris alongside LeBron James, she flamed out early in all three events – singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.

Gauff suffers early-round losses at Canadian Open, Cincinnati

In the two U.S. Open tune-ups, the Canadian Open and in Cincinnati, Gauff suffered early-round defeats.

Even before Wimbledon, Gauff had shown troubling signs at the French Open. She broke into tears during an umpire dispute in a semifinal loss to Iga Swiatek. Gauff also was seen in tears at the Olympics amid another dispute about an umpire overrule.

“The thing about the tears, I think you just don’t know how expectations creep into yourself,” Evert said. “Everybody from Day 1 has thought about Coco as the next Serena Williams, the next one that dominates. That stays with you for a long time.”

According to ESPN’s venerable commentator John McEnroe, the pressure indeed may be getting to her.

“She’s excited to be defending her title but she’s also bewildered at some of the results,” McEnroe said. “The pressure of expectations – she won the Open (but) it gets more difficult in a lot of ways. You got people coming after you. You’re a bigger win. Everyone in her camp expects more and she expects more.”

Gauff is by far the top money-earner for endorsements in women’s tennis. The honor of carrying the flag was surprising considering all the U.S. female athletes who came in with multiple gold medals.

“When I watched her at the Olympics, leading the parade, leading the whole Olympics, it was raining and I saw her trading pins,” Evert said. “She was photographing and meeting all her idols. I’m like ‘Oh my God this girl won’t be able to play. She’ll be so exhausted.’ Emotionally, it took so much out of her. She’s still a young girl.

“She’s in demand and everyone wants a piece of her.”

Evert also believes Gauff plays “too much doubles” and should keep herself fresher for singles. Most players of her stature do not enter the doubles event. In addition, Evert has been a critic of Gauff’s extreme forehand grip.

In last week’s shocking loss in Cincinnati to Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in her first match, Gauff committed 50 unforced errors. Gauff had won Cincinnati last year leading into her Open romp.

“The players now are just exposing that forehand,” Evert said. “It’s not even backhand, forehand, backhand. They’re hitting every ball to the forehand in the last loss.”

No women’s player is in super form in a parity-ridden women’s game. Swiatek has come back down-to-earth. Cincinnati champion Aryna Sabalenka is coming off a shoulder injury. In the past eight years, there have been 18 different women’s Grand Slam champions.

Chris Evert, John McEnroe still think Gauff can turn it around

“It’s been a long year but do I think (Coco) can turn it around?” Evert said. “One hundred percent. It’s who’s going to be freshest for seven matches. She can still win it.”

More: Coco Gauff’s grandmother was the first Black student at a Delray Beach school. How’d she do it?

McEnroe, too, said Gauff is either the second or third favorite in his eyes. And McEnroe hopes she doesn’t part ways with Gilbert.

“A lot of the coaches are punching bags,” McEnroe said. “They’re venting. That’s all they’re doing. Coco is a great player. She can figure it out.

“As far as Brad goes, it’s hard to say what will happen. But Brad is one of the best coaches that have been around. Maybe he’s an acquired taste. The people that have acquired his taste have done very well. I think he should be in the Hall of Fame for his coaching. I don’t think that’s the problem. If she wants in a year to try somebody else, that’s her right. But last year, when he joined forces, there was a great run and she won the Open. He’s done an excellent job.”

56th U.S. Open

Aug. 19-Sept. 9, USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, N.Y.

TV: Today, qualifying, 11 a.m., ESPN2; 1 p.m., ESPNEWS; streaming 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on ESPN+

Defending singles champs: Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff