Coco Gauff recently opened up about how she is looking to Novak Djokovic as an example to address persistent issues with her serve. The WTA No. 3 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion shared insights into how the Serbian star transformed his serve from a weak point early in his career into one of his most potent weapons on the court.

In a recent conversation with The National’s Reem Abulleil, Gauff reflected on Djokovic’s journey with his serve. “I was looking at Novak, and he’s someone who didn’t have as great of a serve in the beginning of his career, obviously a different issue than me, but he just wasn’t serving as strong. And he made that change and has gone on to obviously be Novak Djokovic. Even at that time, he was still a successful player,” the 21-year-old explained.

Earlier this year, Gauff added biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to her team. MacMillan, who previously worked with reigning WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, played a key role in helping the Belarusian fix her serve struggles. Gauff is hoping a similar approach will help her refine and strengthen her own service game.

Meanwhile, Gauff’s compatriot Frances Tiafoe has made a significant coaching change of his own. After a series of underwhelming performances and the decision to cut short his 2025 season, Tiafoe has brought Todd Martin on board as his new coach.

Martin, an American former player turned coach, is well known for his stint with Novak Djokovic. Sixteen years ago, he joined Djokovic’s camp as a second coach alongside Marian Vajda. The contrasting coaching styles between Martin and Vajda eventually led to Martin’s departure in April 2010.

In March 2023, Todd Martin made a bold prediction about Djokovic’s future in tennis when compared to his great rival Rafael Nadal. Speaking to CLAY, Martin said:

“Rafa moves in a heavy way, carrying a lot of weight with him, with much more force. Novak does not carry much weight physically. He is gentler on himself, so I don’t think there’s an element that will not allow him to continue further on, if he keeps his focus.”

Martin’s prediction proved accurate as Nadal, struggling with fitness issues, retired in 2024, while Djokovic continues to pursue glory despite the rise of new stars like Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in men’s tennis.

As Coco Gauff looks to Djokovic’s example and Tiafoe teams up with Djokovic’s former coach, both players are making strategic moves to elevate their games amid a highly competitive tennis landscape.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/news-novak-djokovic-leaves-mark-american-tennis-coco-gauff-looks-solve-serving-problems-frances-tiafoe-hires-ex-coach-poor-2025