‘Night and day’: Gauff breaks down her Cincinnati transformation

CINCINNATI -- A year ago, Coco Gauff left the Cincinnati Open in tears after a quarterfinal loss marked by 16 double faults and mounting concerns about her game. On Sunday, she left with her second Cincinnati title.

"I was just frustrated with my game, and I felt I was declining, and it's not something any player wants to feel," Gauff said to press Sunday after capturing her second Cincinnati Open title. "You always want to feel like you're getting better, and at the worst, just plateauing.

"Last year I was in a weird predicament, made sudden decisions that most people probably wouldn't do before a Slam, but I think it's worth it. Obviously, I feel it's night and day the player I am from last year to now."

One of those decisions was hiring Gavin MacMillan, a biomechanics specialist brought in to improve the long-term sustainability of her serve. The results have required patience, but her 12th WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz title underscored how far she has come.

The numbers tell the story. In three matches at Cincinnati last year, Gauff hit 27 double faults and 13 aces. This year, across six matches, she recorded 27 aces and 23 double faults, finishing with more double faults than aces just once.

There is still room for improvement, but the progress is clear.

"At the end of the day, you can do everything right in practice, but it's in the replicating the pressure moments that you only get on the match court to make it better," Gauff said. "I think I had some tough moments with it, but I feel like it's getting in the right direction and definitely becoming really close to the place I want it to be."

After the final, wtatennis.com sat down with Gauff one-on-one in Cincinnati:

In Toronto, you were explaining how the goal for this swing was to peak at US Open as you would want to do with any swing that has a major. I know you can't predict the future, but from previous experience, do you feel on your way to that?

Gauff: I'm on the road to that. I feel I got put in a lot of different scenarios over the course in the last four weeks, and I guess the biggest hope for New York is definitely to be able to learn and do better in each scenario that I can put in. 

You've had strong results on all three surfaces this season, but after a solid clay season and Wimbledon semifinal run, how excited were you to be back on the hard courts?

Gauff: Honestly, I was super excited. I was like, 'OK, I had a decent run on grass,' which is not my surface at all, but one day, it'll be there. It got me excited because this is obviously a surface that suits my game a little bit better. I'm more confident on it.

If I can do so well there [at Wimbledon], I can only imagine what can happen during the hard-court swing. So far, it hasn't disappointed a lot -- one more big one -- but I don't have any expectations, honestly.

In Dubai, after a double fault against Svitolina, you told your team that nothing you had worked on was helping. How has your mindset changed since then?

Gauff: That was a tough moment for me, and I felt bad after I said it, but they're understanding people [laughing]. They knew it was out a frustration, but that was a tough moment because I was like, 'Bro, we've been working on it and it's not getting better.'

It was getting better, honestly, but it just didn't feel like it in that moment. After the match, my coach said 'No, you're in the right track,' especially JC [Faurel] because he's been with me through the worst of my serve, and now he's on the better half, better side of it.

He says the double faults aren't the same. Obviously they're still double faults, but he's like 'You're just improving.' That gave me a good confidence that one day I will find it, and I feel now, I know that I can find it even if I throw two or something in a game. I know that I'm capable of finding Plan A again and at some point in the match.

 The season's final Grand Slam is next, but there is still a week leading up to it. How much do you enjoy the week leading up to a major, and in particular US Open. How do you view just the week in terms of the atmosphere and preparation?

Gauff: I think it's the most chaotic Slam. Every practice has so many fans, and obviously being American they're all happy to see me, and I'm happy to see them as well. Just the energy that I get in New York, it really makes me want to improve, do better and perform well in front of them. It's the most youthful week, so looking forward to being around all the kids.

In Cincinnati, you played a couple matches where fireworks went off at the neighboring amusement park, and there was a fireworks show after you received the trophy. Are you a big fireworks fan?

Gauff: I thought that was cool. That was the first time I ever played anything where there was fireworks. The budget here must be pretty big because I know they're not cheap [laughing]. It was actually really cool to have that and watch that. I love fireworks, and I heard them in the last couple matches so it was good to see them.

Rapid-fire with Gauff

What's a hill you're willing to die on? Everybody should watch a movie in a theater. Streaming services should stop accompanying the movies one week after release. Let it go through a theater release.

If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Burger, fries, Diet Coke and apple pie for dessert. 

If you weren't a tennis player, what profession would you want to be me? Marine biologist. I love orcas.

What's the biggest item on your non-tennis bucket list? I want to skydive.

What are you bringing to a potluck dinner? Yams or sweet potato pie

If you could instantly master a skill that you don't have, what would it be? Chess. If I learned it, I could be pretty good at it.

Last question. I heard through the grapevine that you enjoy Chick-Fil-A. There's a new chicken and waffle sandwich being released. How excited are you for that? I'm super excited. I'm going to try to figure out how I can get it tomorrow. I don't know f I can get it before my flight or after, but either tomorrow or Tuesday, I'm getting it.