Coco Gauff, a rising star in the tennis world, has recently opened up about her journey with coach Gavin MacMillan, emphasizing her commitment to “trusting the process” amidst a challenging start to the 2026 season. The World No. 4 has been in partnership with MacMillan since 2025, following her split with Matt Daly just before last year's US Open, a move that many viewed as pivotal for her career.
MacMillan, renowned for his expertise in grip techniques, has been a crucial addition to Gauff's team, working alongside her long-time coach, J.C. Faurel. Their focus has been on refining Gauff’s serve and forehand, two areas that have previously been highlighted as vulnerabilities in her game. After a rocky performance in the fourth round of the US Open, Gauff managed to reach the semi-finals of the China Open and secured victory at the Wuhan Open, marking her best run of form since MacMillan joined her coaching staff.
However, the 2026 season kicked off with mixed results for Gauff. Despite winning three out of four singles matches at the United Cup and reaching the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, she suffered a disappointing defeat against Elina Svitolina, who overwhelmed her in just 59 minutes with a commanding score of 6-1, 6-2. The struggles continued last week, where Gauff faced a staggering setback, racking up 39 unforced errors in a 6-4, 6-2 loss to Elisabetta Cocciaretto at the Qatar Open—marking her third consecutive first-round exit in Doha.
As she prepares to tackle the Dubai Tennis Championships, where she previously reached the semi-finals in 2023 and quarter-finals in 2021 and 2024, Gauff is determined not to dwell on her recent form. Reflecting on her partnership with MacMillan during a pre-tournament press conference, the 21-year-old spoke candidly about her mindset. “I feel like I’m trusting the process. I mean, I’m very tough on myself,” Gauff admitted. “It is easy to look at this and be like: ‘I’m doing so bad’. When I look at all my seasons, maybe it’s something I need to fix, but in all my seasons, I just haven’t done well here.”
Gauff's focus is clearly on long-term improvement rather than immediate results. “I’m trying to figure out the recipe,” she stated. “Also, in all fairness to this part of the swing, I think most players would agree they want to peak at the Grand Slams. For most of them — I still have to figure out Wimbledon — I have been doing that. It’s a learning process. I think my serve is improving. I feel more comfortable going after it.”
As she heads into the Dubai Tennis Championships, Gauff is seeded third and receives an opening-round bye, but will face a challenging encounter with Anna Kalinskaya in the second round, especially after the Russian knocked out former champion Jelena Ostapenko. Following Dubai, Gauff will return to the United States for consecutive WTA 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami, where she hopes to regain her form and continue her ascent in the tennis hierarchy.
With her determination and the guidance of her coaching team, Gauff remains a formidable contender on the court, and fans around the world will be watching closely as she navigates this pivotal stage of her career.
