Coco Gauff appeared to scold her serving coach Gavin MacMillan as the tennis star’s emotions boiled over during a loss to Elina Svitolina on Friday.
The world No 4 was beaten 4-6 7-6 4-6 by Ukraine’s Svitolina in the semifinal of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
It was a three-hour thriller but, midway through the second set, Gauff’s frustrations got the better of her after she hit one of a dozen double faults.
The American turned away and could be heard saying: ‘I’ve been doing everything you’ve wanted for the last six months…’ Gauff then lowered her voice and appeared to add: ‘And it’s gotten not better at all, bro.’
It is not the first time that Gauff has lashed out at her team. Back at the 2023 US Open, when she was working with Brad Gilbert, the American could be heard telling him mid-match: ‘Stop talking.’
This time, her comments are thought to have been directed at MacMillan, who was hired by Gauff ahead of last summer’s US Open.
Coco Gauff appeared to scold her serving coach Gavin MacMillan during her loss on Friday
Biomechanics guru Gavin MacMillan was hired by Gauff ahead of last summer’s US Open
MacMillan is a biomechanics expert who works with athletes across a number of sports. Back in 2022, he helped Aryna Sabalenka reinvent her serve.
Gauff has had issues with her serve, too, and last season she led the WTA Tour with more than 300 double faults before hiring MacMillan.
He helped alter her serving motion but Gauff’s struggles continued on Friday as Svitolina upset the No 3 seed to set up a final against Jessica Pegula.
Gauff could have made it an all-American final after Pegula beat their compatriot Amanda Anisimova 1-6 6-4 6-3.
Svitolina, 31, had four match points in the second-set tie-break, only for Gauff to cling on and force a decider.
Unfortunately for the American, she could not prevent her rival from reaching a first Dubai Tennis Championships final in nearly a decade.