In 2023, Coco Gauff won the Cincinnati title, and then went on to win the US Open . Three years hence, she has now done the first part again.
In 2025, Gauff hit 23 double faults in a second-round match in Montreal. This time in Cincinnati, en route to the title, she hit 23 across the entire tournament, and just three across her final two matches. Under MacMillan, the issue has not disappeared completely. Gauff still leads the tour in double faults this season. But the double faults are no longer arriving in the same clusters, while Gauff has also found greater variety and aggression on her serve. And the numbers at Cincinnati offered a striking example. That evolution will matter in New York where Gauff will again have the home crowd on her side. The draw also offers Gauff a manageable route. She will start her campaign against Zeynep Sönmez and could face a tricky test against Sara Bejlek in the third round, after beating the Czech in the Cincinnati semi-finals. Alex Eala or Iva Jovic could await in the fourth round, before a potential quarter-final against Mirra Andreeva or Amanda Anisimova.
The other reason behind her confidence is the change she brought to her game after welcoming biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan onto her team last year to help address issues with her serve.
Despite the heartbreak, Gauff refused to let one bad tournament define her 2026 season. “Cincinnati is such a special tournament. “And coming into New York with some wins under my belt, I think means a lot. Prior to Cincinnati, Gauff warmed up for the North American hardcourt swing with a semi-final run in Toronto, which was preceded by her best-ever showing at Wimbledon, where she also reached the semi-finals. Sandwiched in between, however, was her tough and forgettable campaign at Roland Garros, where she failed to defend her title after a shock third-round exit.
Being able to do that again is super cool,” Gauff said in an interview shared exclusively with Hindustan Times by JioStar. “One bad tournament is not the story of the whole season,” she said. “I’m glad I was able to have that experience at Wimbledon.”
Earlier in the season, she had reached the finals in Miami and Rome. Her response since then has shown exactly why.
