Coco Gauff has a lot to think about after a relatively disappointing US Open swing.
Gauff lost to Naomi Osaka in the fourth round of the US Open, continuing her relatively poor run of form since winning her second major title at Roland Garros.
There has been a lot of talk about the American’s serve, with Gauff being told she made a mistake even before the US Open started.
As Gauff now steps away from the match court for a few weeks, she has been told what she could learn from players on the ATP Tour that could really help.
Photo by Robert Prange/Getty ImagesRick Macci tells Coco Gauff what she can learn from the ATP Tour
Gauff’s serve is a big topic of debate, and is often pointed to as the shot that could be preventing her from having more success.
However, the forehand has also caused her troubles in recent times, including in her latest match against Osaka where Gauff hit 20 forehand unforced errors.
Now Rick Macci, who is the former coach of Serena and Venus Williams, has given Gauff some advice that he thinks could help her become world number one.
The 70-year-old, who has also worked with Maria Sharapova, Andy Roddick and Jennifer Capriati, believes Gauff could benefit from making her forehand more compact and explosive, which Macci claims is like what ATP players have.
He wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter), “Because Coco fights and can fly she never says good bye. Her serve will become her best shot and she contends again for the number one spot. If she is reprogrammed with the more compact explosive ATP FOREHAND the Delray Dart will be number one in the land.”
Because Coco fights and can fly she never says good bye. Her serve will become her best shot and she contend again for the number one spot. If she is reprogramed with the more compact explosive ATP FOREHAND the Delray Dart will be number one in the land. @CocoGauff
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) September 11, 2025
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How far away is Coco Gauff from becoming world number one?
Gauff is currently the world number three, and is only 59 points behind Iga Swiatek, but she is a huge 3,351 points behind world number one and US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka.
However, all is not as it seems on the surface, with Gauff unlikely to get anywhere near to the world number one at least this year.
After a very successful end to the 2024 season, with Gauff winning the WTA Finals and the China Open, she now has significantly more points to defend than both Sabalenka and Swiatek.
This is unlikely to be a big deal for Gauff, who admittedly prefers major titles over her ranking, but it is still an important part of the season for her.
Gauff’s next tournament will come at the China Open, where she is the defending champion, which begins on Wednesday, September 24.