Tim Henman has a message for Coco Gauff after crushing US Open defeat
Former British No 1 Tim Henman didn’t hold back as he handed out some pointed advice to Coco Gauff after her 6-3, 6-2 defeat against Naomi Osaka at the US Open.
In the most easterly anticipated contest of the women’s singles so far at the US Open, Osaka won with plenty to spare as she lost just six points on serve in the entire match.
The story was not so positive for Gauff, as he pained US Open campaign ended with a predictable defeat.
Gauff, the 2023 US Open, was not in the form to challenge for the title in New York, with her crumbling serve and inconsistent ground shots ensuring there was only ever going to be one winner.
It was not just the 33 unforced errors that condemned Gauff to a defeat, as her body language suggested she didn’t entirely believe she could compete with an impressive Osaka.
This performance backed up more agonised displays from Gauff in previous rounds, with Henman suggesting the time is right for the 21-year-old, who won the French Open title in June, to take some time away from competitive tennis.
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“When you talk about someone being in the zone, that’s when you’ve got that really clear mindset and Osaka had that,” Henman told Sky Sports.
“When you think about the other end of the court with Gauff it just looks like she’s so confused out there.
“It’s so stressful. She’s focusing so much on her serve, as we all are, when you’ve got that type of mindset, it’s very difficult to play your best tennis, especially against a world-class player who is making life difficult for you.
“Gauff is such a good competitor, but you saw at the end of the match that she couldn’t wait to get off that court quick enough. We’ve seen the emotion on the court, in tears at times. It’s been almost traumatic at times.
“She needs a little bit of time away from this environment to decompress and contemplate her next move.”
It said much about Gauff’s mindset and her obsession with her serve that she spoke about that shot without even being asked in the opening line of her press conference.
“Today was disappointing because I felt it was the best I’ve served through the whole tournament,” she said.
“Off the ground, I made too many mistakes in too many areas. So it was kind of a weird match with the different areas swapping.
“With how emotional this week way, I was maybe a little empty out there today.”
Gauff added serving biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to her team shortly before the US Open and admitted the challenge of trying to rebuild her serve so close to a Grand Slam was a step too far.
Now she has time to work with MacMillan and Henman is right to suggest a period away from competitive tennis to reshape her serve and come back with a more complete game may be her best option after what has been a hugely challenging few months since her French Open triumph at Roland Garros.
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