Coco Gauff's Forehand Woes at the WTA Finals: A Dark Cloud Over Her Game
Coco Gauff's WTA Finals defense began on a challenging note as she faced Jessica Pegula in a three-set battle in Saudi Arabia. Gauff's struggles with her serve persisted, resulting in 17 double faults against her compatriot, which put her in a difficult position early on.
The American tennis star appeared perplexed as she battled with her ball toss throughout the match. This added pressure to her remaining matches against Jasmine Paolini and Aryna Sabalenka. While Gauff's serving issues dominated the headlines, there was another concerning aspect of her game that cast a shadow over her performance.
Coco Gauff's Forehand Concerns at the WTA Finals
In addition to the double faults, Gauff committed a high number of unforced errors against Pegula. The Roland Garros champion hit an impressive 45 unforced errors on her forehand in the opening round, which significantly contributed to her loss. This was almost triple the points she lost on her serve, indicating a concerning trend in her game.
Despite her overall ability, Gauff's performance against Pegula showcased her vulnerability. She managed to recover from losing the first set by winning a tie-break, but her errors across the board eventually caught up with her. Pegula, despite her own serve issues, emerged victorious with a 6-2 win in the deciding set, securing second place in the Steffi Graf group behind Sabalenka.
Coco Gauff's Own Worst Enemy at the WTA Finals
Gauff's performance against Pegula highlighted her 45 forehand unforced errors, which were further supported by 13 errors on her backhand, a usually strong aspect of her game. Despite losing only 112 points in the entire match, over 50% of her points were lost due to her own errors. In contrast, Pegula's 32 unforced errors across both her forehand and backhand were the key to her victory.
Despite Gauff's opening-round loss, she remains in a strong position to qualify from her group and defend her title. However, addressing her forehand issues is crucial if she wants to succeed at the WTA Finals. Gauff's ability to overcome these challenges will be a testament to her resilience and determination.
