Coco Gauff Wins US Open First Round After Serve Overhaul

Coco Gauff won her opening round match at the 2025 US Open against Ajla Tomljanović in a tense three-set battle, marking her first match since a significant coaching change aimed at fixing her struggling serve. After parting ways with grip specialist Matt Daly, Gauff brought in biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka overcome similar serve issues, focusing on technical and biomechanical adjustments rather than power. Despite early double faults and a slower serve speed, Gauff gradually increased her serve velocity throughout the match, ultimately securing the win through grit and competitiveness. Gauff's serve problems have plagued her season, with an unusually high number of double faults, prompting this 'hard reset' to her service motion just before the U.S. Open. Experts and former coaches have noted the difficulty of the match and the pressure Gauff faced, acknowledging her proactive and courageous approach to addressing a foundational flaw in her game. Gauff advances to the second round, carrying hope that these biomechanical changes will bolster her performance in the tournament.