Many felt the writing was on the wall after her last-16 collapse against compatriot Emma Navarro and so it proved: 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff has announced a split from head coach Brad Gilbert after 14 months together, while Elina Svitolina – who she beat a round earlier – has shut down for the 2024 season after undergoing surgery on a longstanding right foot complaint.
Svitolina sets sights on even stronger return
ELINA Svitolina has announced on her social media accounts she won’t feature again until the new year after belatedly opting for surgery on a right foot issue persistently hurting her dating back to this time last year, when she shut down for 2023.
Pictured in a hospital bed and later being wheeled out by husband Gael Monfils with her foot in a protective boot, the former world no. 3 spoke about how it’s been getting progressively worse – to the point it has negatively impacted everyday life.
“I am determined to do whatever it takes to get back on the court and compete at the highest level,” she wrote while thanking fans for their support as she targets an even better season after this was her first full campaign on tour juggling life as a mum with daughter Skai, having returned from maternity level in April 2023.
In Cincinnati, where she lost in round three to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka, the 31-year-old said this about her troublesome foot injury: “I couldn’t practice for more than an hour, was asking myself, ‘why am I doing this?’ My game is about physicality, so if I don’t have my strength, there’s no point to play.”
Currently ranked world no. 28, the Ukrainian made the Wimbledon quarter-finals and reached the last-16 at the first two Grand Slams this year as well as the Paris Olympics, recovering from a set down to beat US Open runner-up Jessica Pegula.
Two-time Major finalist Ons Jabeur (shoulder) recently announced her season would be cut short due to injury too, while a pair of former world no. 1 players in Karolina Pliskova (foot) and two-time Grand Slam titleholder Victoria Azarenka (shoulder) retired with niggling issues from their respective matches in recent weeks.
Gauff going in another direction as form dips
Less than a month ago when previewing this year’s US Open, the unpredictability of the Coco Gauff experience was laid bare.
She might’ve been the tournament’s defending champion at her home Major but heavy is the head that wears the crown and this unfolded rather spectacularly.
Her serve can be deadly when she hits her spots but in the same vein continues to be a teething problem, while questions over her problem-solving ability when not playing particularly well have returned to the forefront recently. If she’s to embark on another deep run at home and potentially avenge some tough losses, she’ll need it.
She hit a grisly 19 double-faults and 60 unforced errors during a preventable three-set defeat by compatriot Emma Navarro in New York, a match proving to be the final straw between her and now-former coach Brad Gilbert after some teething problems over the summer appeared to have uncomfortably spilled into his role as TV analyst.
Whenever that happens, the writing is on the wall and while both shared genuine pleasantries on social media when reflecting on their experiences together, there will be a sense more could’ve been done to prolong a partnership many didn’t foresee being fruitful given their differing personalities. Gauff will ride solo for now.
Gilbert, a commentator and analyst, said he was excited for the next step in his coaching career but moving forward, perhaps whoever he is with next will try harder to avoid a conflict of interest when it comes to covering their own matches.
Gilbert was originally a co-coach alongside Spain’s Pere Riba, though the Barcelona man departed – before reuniting with Chinese rising sensation Qinwen Zheng – leaving Gilbert as her chief coaching voice, then tensions grew after Roland Garros.
Gauff, who dropped from a new career-high #2 to world no. 6, is scheduled to return at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing next week, starting on September 25 and will hope to find some much-needed clarity as an eventful 2024 campaign winds down.
Picture source: Getty Images
Mo and Sports 