Gauff confirms contact with Rick Macci through father about coaching: "That was one of the options to do that after the season was over"

Coco Gauff made her name back in 2019 at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old and despite only being 19 now is a well established figure now on the WTA Tour and one that anchors home hopes in the USA.

Alongside Jessica Pegula both at the sharp end of singles and doubles, but one player who has had to attempt to battle back from obscurity multiple times is Sofia Kenin.

Defeating Gauff en route to her whirlwind win at the Australian Open, she will face the former at a different end of their respective careers.

Gauff now sits well inside the top 10 albeit without a Grand Slam yet, while Kenin has achieved Gauff's dream but had to play qualifying to even get into Wimbledon this year.

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The former gave a damning verdict on how her game evolved between their respective meetings between 2020 and Auckland in 2023.

But also she did say it will be a tough tie despite this with Gauff herself getting matches in reaching the semi-final at Eastbourne.

"Her game is pretty similar, I think I just got better. Obviously she was in a tough spot earlier this year, but I think coming through qualifying she will have a lot more confidence so I'm not expecting an easy match at all," she said during the Wimbledon press conference on Saturday.

"It's going to be a tough match and her game is a tough game to play against. She has a few underrated weapons that I don't think people speak about as much but I think it will be a tough match.

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Potential Macci partnership still on the cards

Gauff often gets compared to Venus and Serena Williams and could yet work with their former coach.

Earlier this season, Rick Macci said about wanting to work with Gauff and during the press conference, she was quizzed on updates surrounding this.

Albeit, she said it has been her dad who has spoke to him and that it will be on the back burner till late 2023 when the season closes.

"I haven't spoken to Rick, but him and my Dad converse a lot. Not just now but over the years and that was one of the options to do that after the season was over. It's far from now so I can't really confirm."

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Michal Samulski

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