By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, September 1, 2024
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty for ITF Davis Cup
NEW YORK –Coco Gauff served self-sabotage as Emma Navarro ended her US Open reign today.
The world No. 3 will seek the help of a service doctor to try to solve the problems of the second serve.
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Navarro took advantage of 19 double faults from Gauff to dethrone the defending champion 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to reach her first US Open quarterfinal.
Gauff committed 11 of her 19 double faults in the final set. The result was nearly five double-fault games that Gauff gave away today.
Stressed by Navarro’s aggressive returning position, Gauff’s service struggles today came under the pressure of her first title defense. Some of these double faults went into the net as Gauff sometimes pulls her head down too early, drops the left side of her body and can slow her swing on the second serve.
“I mean, obviously I land a lot on my left side on my serve, and it’s something I’m aware of, but it’s hard right now to try not to,” Gauff said.
Overall, Gauff committed 38 double faults in four Flushing Meadows matches.
Gauff, who worked with former No. 1 Andy Roddick to try to reduce her ball drop and service box spread, said the second serve is a mental hurdle she needs to clear.
To that end, she plans to seek out a serve specialist, perhaps revisiting her work with Rodick, to correct the second serve.
“Yeah, I definitely want to get other opinions because, you know — and I also think sometimes it’s more of an emotional, mental thing, because if I go out on the practice court right now, I’d do, like, 30 serves in a row,” Gauff said. “I’ve done it before. I think it’s also kind of a mental hurdle that I have to overcome when it comes to this. But, yes, I definitely want to watch other things because I don’t want to miss out. such matches no more”.
