Gauff improving on serve but focused only on results: “The tweaking is already done”

In the build-up to this year’s Roland-Garros, the state of Coco Gauff’s serve was one of the big talking points when discussing those likely to be competing for the women’s title.

The American was regularly throwing in 10-plus double faults in pre-French Open events, seemingly struggling with making some technical changes to the service motion to try to iron out the kinks.

Doing that while trying to win matches is not easy and after reaching the fourth round on Friday – for the fourth consecutive year – the 20-year-old said all the technical work, for now, is done, and that only results matter this fortnight.

“I think during big events, once the tournament starts, it’s kind of just trying to remind myself what to do, but it’s at that point all the tweaking and all of that is done,” she said, after her 6-2, 6-4 win over Dayana Yastrenska of Ukraine.

“I think during big events, once the tournament starts, it’s kind of just trying to remind myself what to do, but it’s at that point all the tweaking and all of that is done,” she said, after her 6-2, 6-4 win over Dayana Yastrenska of Ukraine.

“Obviously, in between I’m constantly trying to make, not just to my serve but all parts of my game, minor adjustments to do better. Obviously in the off-season you have more time to make bigger adjustments.”

Serve improving in Paris

Gauff has hit 14 double faults in three matches here, a vast improvement on Rome, where she hit 41 doubles in four matches. When she’s found her first serve, she’s been very successful, winning 96 percent of points on it in round one and 73 percent in each of her next two matches.

Understanding the need to keep trying to improve while at the same time playing tournaments is something all players have to come to terms with.

“It can be difficult,” Gauff said. “I think that’s the spot that I found growing up on tour that was difficult for me because I was 15, and I’m playing these top players, but it was hard to develop my game, I think, when playing week-by-week and playing top players.

“That is something that I would say maybe — not if I could do it again, but I think I would just focus on not results so much I think in my head and try to also develop. I think I got down on myself when I lost a lot, and I’m just, like, you were so young, and I’m still young, but you were definitely super young then, and you’re still developing.

“”I try to just keep to continue to develop as a player. Sometimes that ends in some losses, but I think in the long run it will be important.”

Cocciaretto a big challenge

Gauff will play Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy in the fourth round and said she expects a tough match.

“I played her in Dubai and that was a tough match. I believe it was, like, 7-6, maybe 6-2 or 6-1 or something like that. It was a tough match,” she said.

“I remember it very well. I haven’t maybe watched a lot of her matches on clay, so I would probably have to go back and see what adjustments I need to make with that game.

“I know she’s a fighter. She fights all the time. No matter what the score is, she’s not giving up until the last point. I know I have to go in there with a strong mentality.”

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