tenniscoaching.com Coco Gauff fires fastest serve at 2024 Australian Open e 3rd fastest in event history: Gauff fired an absolute bomb in one of her service games against Aryna Sabalenka. dlvr.it/T215k2
"I was absolutely blown away" says Andy Roddick after working with Coco Gauff on her serve, says he would show up anytime she asks
WTAFriday, 02 February 2024 at 22:30
Former
world No. 1, Andy Roddick, shared insights into his collaboration with Coco
Gauff to revamp her service ahead of the 2024 Australian Open. The renowned
American tennis star, celebrated as one of the best servers in the sport's
history, joined Gauff during the off-season, praising her exceptional work
ethic.
Gauff,
currently ranked No. 3 in the world, displayed a commendable performance at the
Australian Open, reaching the semifinals but falling to eventual champion Aryna
Sabalenka. One of the focal points for the 19-year-old has been her first
serve, an aspect that showed improvement last year under the guidance of Brad
Gilbert, along with advancements in her forehand during the US hardcourt swing.
Roddick surprised by Coco Gauff's work ethic
As the 2023
season concluded, they sought the advice of Roddick, who boasted a remarkable
90% success rate in winning his service games throughout his career,
accompanied by an impressive tally of over 9000 aces. The former world No. 1
emphasized on his podcast that Gauff exhibits a particularly rapid learning
curve.
"With
Coco, 15 minutes in she understood the concept. The good ones (first serves)
were 124, pretty much on command. The second serve was consistent, had more
height," Andy Roddick said. "She has the tools now, albeit there's
going to be a learning curve. But credit to her, taking something new and
walking it out a month later," he added.
"I
think Coco will be a dominant server, I was blown away by the two or three days
we spent together, the feedback she's able to give, what she's able to take in,
and the professional manner.”
“There are
people who don't work as hard... they're not a household name like Coco Gauff
is. For someone who hasn't turned 20, I was absolutely blown away. I would show
up for her anytime she asks, I was so impressed with her.”
Roddick's solutions
At 41 years
old, the former tennis star Andy Roddick highlighted that Coco Gauff has all
the tools to significantly enhance her service. He pointed out that Gauff's
main challenge lies in playing too close to the edge, and Roddick has been
instrumental in assisting her to address this aspect.
"My
version is, her toss was very inconsistent, so on good days, you really
wouldn't notice anything. She can have good serving days, but she had never
really thought about her toss, right?"
"So,
it was like, arm-elbow position, folds at the end, and I said one thing can
really make a dent in all of those issues. I go, 'You toss the ball from kinda
your waist, you kind of have this flip-motion up', which creates spin and
you're having to chase it. So, when it's working, it's fine. When it's bad,
it's really bad.”
“In the
World Tour Finals last year, I think it was 25 double faults in one match. I
said, 'Listen, we have to create a little bit more margin'. We have to create
something that's bankable and it's going to create more speed, the ball's gonna
turn a bit more. And I said, 'All you gotta do is just release it from your
fingertips and not your palm, and it needs to be released at shoulder height,”
Roddick concluded.
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