The 5 women to hit the most double faults in a WTA match: Coco Gauff with 23

Oli Dickson Jefford 30 Jul 2025 12:00 PM

Pictured: Anna Kournikova and Coco Gauff.

Coco Gauff progressed into the third round of the 2025 Canadian Open, though the American found things far from easy in Montreal.

The world No 2 was at the brink of defeat late in the third set against compatriot Danielle Collins, though rallied to seal a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(2) triumph.

Despite victory, the 21-year-old serve was again troublesome, with Gauff hitting a staggering 23 double faults during the match.

That is the worst number she has ever recorded – and one of the worst in WTA Tour history.

5) Coco Gauff – 23 double faults (2025 Canadian Open)

Gauff served up a staggering 23 double faults against Collins, almost a set’s worth of points in a match that lasted close to three hours.

That is the fifth-highest tally of double faults ever recorded in a WTA Tour match, making it all the more impressive that the American was able to triumph.

The American was previously in joint-fifth place in the standings, having twice served 21 double faults in a WTA Tour match.

Gauff served 21 double faults in her 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss to Aryna Sabalenka at the 2024 Wuhan Open, and in her 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(4) victory over Moyuka Uchijima in Indian Wells in 2024.

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4) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova – 27 double faults (2011 Baku Cup)

One of the most consistent WTA players of her era, Pavlyuchenkova will have been grateful not to have too many service days similar to her quarter-final match at the 2011 Baku Cup.

The second seed at the tournament, a 20-year-old Pavlyuchenkova served up a staggering 27 double faults during her last-eight contest versus Galina Voskoboeva.

Voskoboeva sealed a battling 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 victory over the Russian to reach the last four.

=2) Jelena Dokic – 28 double faults (2006 Auckland Open)

A former world No 4 at the peak of her powers, Dokic was on the comeback trail when she received a wildcard into the 2006 Auckland Open.

The Australian went a set up against Julia Schruff but ultimately fell 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-1 to the German, though it was not just the defeat that attracted attention.

Dokic hit a staggering 28 double faults during the match, the joint-second highest tally recorded on the WTA Tour.

=2) Rafaella Reggi – 28 double faults (1988 Italian Open)

Best remembered for her 1985 triumph on home soil at the Italian Open, Reggi returned to the last eight of her home tournament in 1988.

Her run would be snapped in the quarter-final by eventual runner-up Helen Kelesi, with the 14th seed sealing a comprehensive 6-4, 6-3 win over the fifth seed.

Reggi’s cause was not helped by serving an astonishing 28 double faults across the straight-sets contest, the second-highest ever recorded on the WTA Tour.

1) Anna Kournikova – 31 double faults (1999 Australian Open)

In a match described as “unintentionally comical” and “so bad it was funny” in reports at the time, Kournikova managed to beat Miho Saeki despite 31 double faults at the 1999 Australian Open.

Teen star Kournikova coughed up close to eight games’ worth of points through her double faults in this round-two contest, in which she was breadsticked in the opening set.

However, the 12th seed, aged only 17 at the time, battled back to beat Saeki 1-6, 6-4, 10-8 in this second-round clash – and would ultimately progress to the fourth round of the tournament.