Coco Gauff's stunning loss at Wimbledon in the first round explained by Rick Macci

Yahoo

03-07-2025

On red clay, Coco Gauff is a demon. On grass, she's been a dud.
It wasn't a giant surprise to Boca Raton's wizard of tennis. Rick Macci, that Gauff flamed out early again at Wimbledon on July 1. The Delray Beach resident shockingly lost in the first round in straight sets to 42nd-ranked Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska, weeks after capturing the French Open for her second Grand Slam title.
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Macci, who developed the Williams sisters and aided the growth of Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati and Mary Pierce, among others, sees Coco's deficiencies on grass as definitively as a long red light on Jog Road.
Gauff has never been out of the fourth round at Wimbledon – two years ago she also was dumped in the first round by another Macci prodigy, Sofia Kenin, who lives in Broward County.
More: How Coco Gauff's grandmother made history in Palm Beach County
Macci, who runs his Rick Macci Tennis Academy in Boca, says Yastremska is an accomplished grass-court player – but there is more to Coco's early demise.
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The severe Western forehand grip and long sweeping backswing that create all that Coco topspin isn't made for the fast turf. Macci calls it "the daily double," decimating the world's No. 2-ranked player on the Wimbledon green.
'With the surface where the ball skids, the people who hit a little cleaner, a little earlier, a little flatter, it's conducive for those type of players," Macci told The Palm Beach Post. 'It doesn't surprise me simply because on the grass, her forehand is always going to be problematic because of the grip and radius on the swing is a little big. She needs a bit more time. On the forehand on clay or hardcourt, she's not going to feel as rushed."
Coco's grand performance at the French Open makes most tennis experts believe her best surface is the red dust. Coco made the French Open finals in 2022, the quarterfinals in 2023, semifinals in 2024 and won the whole pastry for her second major on June 9 when she toppled Aryna Sabalenka.
Coco Gauff waves to the crowd while leaving the court after her July 1 match against Dayana Yastremska on Day 2 at Wimbledon. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
After celebrating her win at Roland Garros with a media tour in the United States and quick visit to her Delray home, the 21-year-old Coco played just one grass court tune-up ahead of Wimbledon, in Berlin.
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It is the quickest turnaround between majors – and she lost in Germany in Round 1 to a qualifier, Xinyu Wang, 6-3, 6-3.
She decided to practice on grass the week before Wimbledon instead of playing one more grass court tune-up. Turns out it was whopping mistake after losing 7-6, 6-1 to Yastremska.
'Nothing beats live and in color, playing a match," Macci said. 'You can practice all you want. Nothing takes the place of feeling those moments and tension."
Macci gave Coco a lesson when she was 7 years old in Boca Raton when her father, Corey, brought her for the day. 'After a couple of balls, I didn't say anything about tennis," Macci recalled. 'I said, 'This girl should also run track.' She had a motor back then."
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Wimbledon's grass courts remain a challenge for Coco Gauff
However, Gauff's speed isn't the same on grass, Macci said.
'Movement on grass is very different. Even though she's like an Olympic runner with a racket in her hand and best athlete, quickest on the tour, movement on grass is a different animal. When you go into the corners, it's more difficult to get out. Her movement on grass isn't quite efficient enough. She's 21. It's different than a hardcourt."
But Coco shone in her first career breakthrough, in 2019, and it was on the grass at Wimbledon, knocking off Venus Williams in the first round. Coco made it all the way to the fourth round, at age 15.
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Since then, there's been perhaps a mental barrier to breaking into the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
'Once you know mentally that you're missing balls or losing points differently than you would on the rest of the surfaces, it becomes a mental battle," said Macci, who sees Coco's youngest brother, Cameron, at his academy. 'I don't care if your backbone is stronger than your backhand, the mental part kicks in. Points are quicker and you can lose a point so quickly (on grass). There's frustration."
Macci dismissed Gauff's nine double faults because she usually overcomes an erratic second serve in other events. He pointed out Gauff leads the tour in double faults and still is No. 2 in the world.
Does hunger wane as the highest-paid female sports endorser? Macci doesn't buy into that theory because of her character. Coco was tearful in her news conference, displaying how much it hurt.
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'I don't think the endorsements affect her at all," Macci said. 'It comes with the landscape. You work your whole life for the pressure and her parents (Corey and Candi) are so grounded. With Venus and Serena, it's one thing to get there. It's another thing to stay there. She's so young. We'll see how it plays out, but she's such a great competitor."
And she probably is in store for multiple French Open titles.
'She gets back so many balls, you have to win the point two or three times," Macci said of Coco's clay-court prowess. 'But she's amazing also on hard because she can push off quicker rather than sliding on clay. She's amazing on clay and hardcourts."
Rick Macci thinks Coco Gauff can win at Wimbledon
Delray Beach's Coco Gauff reacts on July 1 after missing a shot against Dayana Yastremska on Day 2 at Wimbledon. Gauff lost the match 7-6, 6-1. Geoff Burke/Imagn Images
Macci still thinks she can win at Wimbledon, eventually.
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'She needs a little more time," Macci said. 'People know she's a little more vulnerable. She just doesn't get back as many balls as hard or clay. Once her forehand gets more compact, cleaner and has better center of gravity and doesn't give as many presents on the second serve, I can see her some day winning Wimbledon."
For her part, Gauff admitted afterward to a French Open hangover.
'Mentally, I was a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards, so I didn't feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it," Gauff said. "But it's the first time in this experience. I definitely learned a lot of what I would and would not do again.
'I'm trying to be positive. I just feel a little bit disappointed in how I showed up today."
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Coco will be heading to Palm Beach County shortly. In late July, the U.S. hardcourt series leading into late August's U.S. Open commences. She won the Open in 2023 – her first major.
'I'm not going to dwell on this too long," Gauff said, "because I want to do well at the U.S. Open.'
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Coco Gauff loses first-round match on Wimbledon's grass where she struggles