Coco Gauff’s Coach Fires Back: ‘Everyone’s Wrong About Her Forehand!’”
Coco Gauff has quietly stepped away from the tour spotlight to fine-tune her game before the biggest event of the season — the WTA Finals. Ranked world No. 3, the American sensation hasn’t competed since clinching the Wuhan Open title just ten days ago, but that short break is all part of a bigger plan.
The 21-year-old star’s victory in Wuhan was more than just another trophy — it was a powerful statement of rediscovered form. After an inconsistent hard-court stretch back home in the U.S., Gauff showed the composure, confidence, and shot-making that reminded the tennis world why she’s considered one of the brightest talents of her generation.
A big reason behind that resurgence is her new partnership with biomechanics coach Gavin MacMillan, a respected figure in tennis circles. MacMillan is best known for helping players refine the fine technical details of their strokes — he even worked with world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka during her much-talked-about serving struggles. Now, he’s helping Gauff polish one of the most analyzed weapons in women’s tennis: her forehand.
In a recent Tennis Channel interview, MacMillan addressed the long-standing debate that has surrounded Gauff’s forehand grip — and he didn’t mince words.
“We are definitely working on her forehand,” MacMillan said. “In Wuhan, it actually held up really well — especially in the final. She went up 4-1 in the first set, started missing a few, but still found her rhythm and closed it out beautifully.”
Then came the line that made waves.
“Everybody keeps talking about her grip like it’s a problem,” he said. “But plenty of great players use a super-western grip. The grip isn’t the issue — the movement and body balance are.”
For years, analysts and fans have dissected Gauff’s forehand, claiming the western grip leaves her vulnerable on faster surfaces. But MacMillan insists that’s a misconception. According to him, the real key lies in her footwork, weight transfer, and body control — not the grip itself.
“What matters,” he continued, “is keeping her weight back and understanding how to play with shape. When she stays on her back foot and hits with spin and depth, her shot becomes heavy, deep, and dangerous.”
That shift in perspective — from “flaw” to “fine-tuning” — is a refreshing take for Gauff fans who’ve watched her game evolve rapidly over the past year. Since teaming up with MacMillan, the American has been focusing on using her natural athleticism more efficiently, channeling her explosive energy into stability and precision rather than sheer power.
Her performances in Wuhan reflected just that. Gauff looked poised and patient, especially in her final two matches against Jasmine Paolini and Jessica Pegula, where her forehand held firm even under pressure. For MacMillan, those moments are proof that the so-called “forehand problem” might actually be overblown.
The 21-year-old is now using her time away from the court to solidify those gains before stepping into the elite field at the WTA Finals. It’s a crucial opportunity — not just to chase another title, but to prove that she’s mastered an aspect of her game that’s been unfairly criticized.
In many ways, Gauff’s evolution mirrors that of Sabalenka, who turned a once-troublesome serve into one of the most dominant weapons on tour under MacMillan’s guidance. The same transformation could be underway for Gauff — only this time, it’s her forehand that’s being rebuilt from a source of skepticism into a source of strength.
As she prepares for the season-ending showdown, the noise around her technique will no doubt continue. But inside Team Gauff, the message couldn’t be clearer: the grip isn’t the enemy — the execution is the answer.
So, while everyone keeps talking about what’s “wrong” with Coco Gauff’s forehand, her coach seems to be smiling quietly, confident that the shot people love to doubt is about to become the one that silences them all.
