Serena and Venus Williams’ former coach Rick Macci will coach teenage tennis player Coco Gauff, 19, to help her with her “shakey” forehand.
Former professional tennis player Patrick McEnroe announced Macci coaching Gauff on his podcast, Holding Court with Patrick McEnroe.
“Later this season, I just recorded a podcast with the legendary coach Rick Macci, who did nobody better at breaking down the technical aspects of the game,” McEnroe said. “Apparently, according to him, he has been in touch with Coco’s father about possibly spending some time to obviously try to fix that forehand.”
McEnroe called Gauff’s forehand technique “shakey,” and others agreed. Many have commented that while Gauff is an incredible player and ranked No. 6 in the WTA singles, her forehand hurts her during her competitions. Even Paula Badosa, ranked 42, said she knew Gauff’s forehand was a weakness and used it against her.
Paula Badosa on her strategy against Coco Gauff: “Of course going more to her forehand bc her backhand is very good & when you have the spot there, you just go there. I just tried to go to her forehand. That’s a bit of the tactic that I can say now. I hope she doesn’t read it” ? pic.twitter.com/n77PixyzSq
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 30, 2023
“And Rick said to me, if he could spend a solid amount of time with her, he thinks she can win multiple, multiple majors because right now it’s not solid enough off the forehand that he believes she can do it at the moment,” McEnroe continued on the podcast.
Macci took to Twitter on April 30, confirming he would work to improve Gauff’s forehand and said it “will become her best shot someday. Needs time off with the exact biomechanical plan to reprogram the reflexes of 12 years and confuse the muscle memory.”
@cocogauff and her forehand will be addressed and will become her best shot someday. Needs time off with the exact biomechanical plan to reprogram the reflexes of 12 years and confuse the muscle memory.All the advice the past 5 years has been a band aid.
— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) April 30, 2023
