Coco Gauff’s Australian Open and the Forehand That Says Everything About Her Tennis

Analyzing Coco Gauff’s Forehand: A Double-Edged Sword on the Court

MELBOURNE, Australia — In every match that Coco Gauff plays, her forehand often reveals a lot about how she’s positioning herself and performing. The 21-year-old world No. 3 has developed a unique back-foot forehand that can be both a weapon and a hindrance depending on the circumstances.

The Mechanics of Gauff’s Forehand

According to Fred Lee’s Getty Images photograph, when the ball comes sailing over the net, often slightly deeper than neutral but not pushing her way behind the baseline, Gauff’s feet begin to backpedal. This is a natural instinct, but it can also indicate that she is on the defensive rather than taking control of the point.

When she tries to slingshot herself forward with all her weight onto the ball of her right foot, her left arm goes out wide, leading her shoulders and hips, twisting to muster every ounce of power. The ball loops over the net, sometimes deep, sometimes barely in the service box. This extended point often allows Gauff to outlast her opponent, as she does better than almost anyone at doing so.

Expert Insights on Gauff’s Play

Matthew Futterman, a renowned sports journalist and former teammate of Gauff’s, explains that the key lies in how Gauff transitions from defense to offense. “It is something I work on now, making it more consistent and better,” she said during her pre-tournament news conference.

Futterman believes that Gauff needs to harness the potential of her serve and forehand, which can approach 130 mph but often falls apart in pressure moments. “The squat-forehand is a specialty of Iga Świątek, who plays with the same extreme Western grip as Gauff,” he adds. The question now is how much Gauff will alter her techniques to achieve better consistency.

Fixing the Serve and Forehand

The serve remodel loomed over Gauff’s Australian Open. Her forehand, which Naomi Osaka broke down to beat her, might be the more critical area for improvement. MacMillan is not a tinkerer; he has big ideas about how top players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal harness snap their spines up and forwards.

“A serve is just a forehand hit on a different plane,” MacMillan explained in an interview three years ago.

Futterman notes that Gauff’s serve issues are mostly mental — “a match issue.” Her serve can often be lights-out in practice, but she struggles with bringing those mechanics into a match when important things are at stake.

“She can do a little bit of everything,” says Futterman. “She’s so good at competing and figuring out how she needs to play on the day in order to win a match.” However, there remains a thin line between patience and passivity. When Gauff ends up having to hit all those forehands off the back foot, her opponent gets to play first-strike tennis.

Looking Ahead

Gauff aims for greater consistency in upcoming matches and Grand Slams. “Most areas in life, a 25-year-old or 26-year-old is more consistent than a 21-year-old,” she said during her pre-tournament news conference.

With the support of MacMillan, Gauff hopes to master her forehand and serve, making them less obstacles and more weapons. “I want to give it my all in each match,” she added. This upcoming season promises to be one where Gauff will continue to rise to challenges both on and off the court.

By Matthew Futterman