Andrea Petkovic was left amazed by a change Coco Gauff was able to make during the 2024 season.
The last 12 months were interesting for Gauff, who enjoyed periods of consistency and success and also low moments with disappointing defeats.
But post-US Open, the 20-year-old began to produce her best Tennis with the help of new coach Matt Daly.
He has helped unleash a new and improved Coco Gauff, who has lost two matches since fourth round exit at Flushing Meadows.
Former top 10 player Petkovic spotted one of the ways in which he helped Gauff win three of her last four tournaments.
Andrea Petkovic reacts to a ‘mind boggling’ change by Coco Gauff
Gauff decided to make a big change following a poor summer in which she failed to make it past the fourth round in five successive events.
Gauff parted ways with Brad Gilbert and added Matt Daly to her team, during which she he made some subtle changes to her grip.
The 20-year-old has benefited tremendously as she looks stronger on the forehand and her serve more consistent, which helped her win two of her last three tournaments of 2024.
Former player turned commentator Andrea Petkovic has left in awe of Gauff for making that change during the season, and she has reaped the rewards.
“Coco Gauff, I have watched her so closely. It was some of the more mind boggling things I have seen in tennis,” the German told the AO Tennis podcast.
“To change your grip for your serve before first and second serve in the middle of the season, right before three of the most important tournaments of the season, one of them being the WTA Finals, where she won $4.9 million.
“That’s a high priced grip change in my opinion! But she did it and it paid off. This is the type of courage in terms of development I always look for.
“For me Sabalenka was the favourite and Coco slides behind there, for me they are on equal terms right now watching them play.”
Other tennis pundits praise Coco Gauff’s game and grip change ahead of Australian Open
Gauff is entering the 2025 Australian Open in the form of her life. At the United Cup, which she helped the United States win without losing a match.
Her form dates back to the final months of the 2024 season, where she won the China Open and the WTA Finals.
Coach Daly’s changing Gauff’s grip in addition to his ability to encourage Gauff, has also given her more belief and confidence in her game, which showed in her last two victories over Iga Swiatek.
Petkovic is not the only pundit who has praised the changes Gauff made as former British number one Laura Robson told Eurosport: “With the forehand, it’s not breaking down like it used to and it doesn’t feel like a weakness anymore and she’s so hard to pass because her movement is the best in a game.
“I would say that Coco’s all of a sudden, from where she was in the summer at the US Open, a completely different player and now among the favorites for a slam title again.”
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