‘My Job Is to Tell People Why She Is Double-Faulting’ – Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach Handles ‘Obsessed’ Hate Comment With Poise After Coco Gauff Controversy

 

 

Coco Gauff has parted ways with her coach, Brad Gilbert, following a series of poor runs in the last few tournaments. During his tenure, Gilbert’s biggest achievement was helping Gauff clinch her maiden Grand Slam title. So, while announcing this split, we saw Gauff thank her former coach for his valuable contributions throughout these 14 months. We also heard Brad Gilbert share his optimism for Gauff’s bright future while showcasing his gratitude to Gauff for giving him this opportunity. However, is Gauff’s poor run of form the only reason behind this bold call, or did Rennae Stubbs’ argument with Gilbert during the US Open play a role in this?

 

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Well, Stubbs has been very vocal about Coco Gauff’s lack of “confidence” and “bad techniques” over the last few months. She even expressed her concerns about the 20-year-old’s mental state before the US Open. There were multiple instances throughout the tournament where Coco Gauff appeared visibly frustrated during her matches. Stubbs noticed all these things, and when she met Gilbert during an interview session on ESPN, she expressed literally everything that was running through her mind following Gauff’s shocking exit from the US Open.

 

“So under pressure, bad technique breaks down and her (Gauff’s) technique is… hard for me to say because Brad [Gilbert] is sitting here… but her technique, the elbow, is too low, the grip is a little weird as well,” said Stubbs during that conversation. She added, “It’s great, we can hear from the coach of the player, yeah, it’s sort of great, but also a little bit awkward for people that are working there.” Later on, even Stubbs faced a few criticisms and one of the fans tweeted, “Kind of like she wanted his job. So unprofessional. I mean you can criticize the guy but not straight into his face 5 minutes after the match.” However, the Aussie didn’t hold back, she came up with a response stating, “Wow ur pleasant! This is a typical disgusting comment from U.“

 

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Stubbs further added, “The entire Amazon network got cancelled but if u want to claim it was only my show, go ahead. My job is 2 tell people why she is double-faulting. That’s my job & why I am paid by espn. U seem a little obsessed with me.” Even during that episode, we heard her say the same, i.e., she’s just doing her job. She was very much disappointed with Gauff committing 19 double faults against Emma Navarro in that R16 match. Although Gilbert tried to justify Coco Gauff‘s struggles by claiming that she performed well in practice but failed to execute her skills in matches, Stubbs kept countering him in every argument.

 

Polls of the day

Poll 1 of 5

 

Do you think Serena Williams’ ex-coach was right to defend Coco Gauff against haters?

 

Absolutely

 

No way

 

He should stay out of it

 

Not sure

 

Do you think the Laver Cup is the best platform for resolving player rivalries?

 

Absolutely

 

Not really

 

Depends on the players

 

No way

 

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Do you think Taylor Fritz’s unhealthy food obsession is justified after his US Open heartbreak?

 

Yes, he deserves a break

 

No, he should stay disciplined

 

It’s understandable but not ideal

 

Absolutely, he needs comfort

 

Do you think Iga Swiatek’s decision will cost her the No. 1 ranking?

 

Absolutely

 

Not a chance

 

Too early to tell

 

Depends on Sabalenka’s performance

 

Wow ur pleasant! This is a typical disgusting comment from U. The entire Amazon network got cancelled but if u want to claim it was only my show, go ahead. My job is 2 tell people why she is double faulting. That’s my job & why i am paid by espn. U seem a little obsessed with me.

 

— Rennae Stubbs ♈️ (@rennaestubbs) September 19, 2024

 

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The 53-year-old Aussie tennis coach was even heard saying, “He (Gilbert) understands he’s not going to be, he doesn’t hold it against me.” However, some fans didn’t like the way she approached the conversation with Brad Gilbert from the start. Will it be a big surprise though if we see Stubbs as Coco Gauff’s next coach?

 

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Rennae Stubbs has always been a big admirer of Coco Gauff

Rennae Stubbs is a six-time major champion in doubles, and she has worked with some of the big names in women’s tennis in the past. Stubbs has worked with the likes of Karolina Pliskova, Eugenie Bouchard, Sam Stosur, and even Serena Williams (during the final few months of her career). However, she hasn’t taken up any coaching role since working with Williams. So, considering her previous comments and admiration for Coco Gauff, we can surely say she’s one of the favorites to take up this role with this super-talented American.

 

For example, recently after her exit from the US Open some of the angry fans questioned, “How did Coco Gauff win the US Open?” After seeing this, Rennae Stubbs quickly jumped to her rescue, and she responded by saying, “DON’T disrespect hard-working pros.” Then in June this year, Stubbs claimed, “She (Coco Gauff) has arguably the best backhand in women’s tennis.” Previously, even during the Indian Wells, she heaped praise on Gauff’s ‘Never-Give-Up’ attitude. “The kid knows how to fight“, Stubss posted on X at that time.

 

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There have been multiple instances where Stubbs was seen admiring the youngster. During the 2023 French Open, she praised Coco Gauff for her remarkable maturity and composure at such a young age. We often find her giving free lessons on how Gauff can improve her game further. Just a few days ago, she joined Rick Macci to suggest Gauff make some tweaks in her game. “You can change your grip slightly. It does take time. You can absolutely. You change your serve. There’s no question about it. I think she needs to change the grip a little on the serve. I think that’s half the problem,” was Stubbs’ advice to Gauff.

 

Do you think she can be a right fit for this role or should Gauff look for someone else?

 

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Written by

 

Sayantan Roy

 

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Tennis Tales Unleashed

Sayantan Roy is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports, who crafts tennis tales that not only capture the game’s essence but also reflect his creative genius. As a believer in unbiased journalism, Sayantan, a fan of both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, loves to fuse the world of such tennis rivals and present balanced copies as fan reaction pieces. Engaged in sports since college, he brings that passion to life.

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Ananya Giri

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