Rennae Stubbs minced her words when discussing Coco Gauff’s fourth-round exit from the US Open on Sunday, venting her displeasure while the American prodigy’s coach sat on the same panel.
When Stubbs analyzed Gauff’s three-set loss to Emma Navarro on the ESPN panel, she drew attention to the 20-year-old’s confidence and technique, but admitted that she felt uncomfortable doing so because Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert was on the panel at the same time.
“Where is Coco’s confidence?” Stubbs said, according to the Daily Mail. “There is no second serve, that’s the sign. And that’s a problem.”
“So under pressure, bad technique breaks down and her technique is… hard for me to say because Brad is sitting here… but her technique, the elbow, is too low, the grip is a little bit weird too.”
Gilbert, a former tennis professional who has coached the likes of Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi, faced massive criticism following Gauff’s 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 loss to fellow countryman Navarro.
“To be honest, it’s just too embarrassing for me to see Brad Gilbert on the radio talking about Gauff’s loss while she’s in the press conference room,” wrote X-user Stephanie Myles.
This is a stark contrast from last year, when Gilbert joined Gauff’s team and had an incredible run over the summer that culminated in victory at the US Open.
Gauff, who made 60 unforced errors on Sunday, looked at her box in Flushing and said, “Tell me something!”
The circumstances were similar to those that unfolded at Wimbledon earlier this summer, when Gauff also lost 6-4, 6-3 to Navarro in the round of 16.
Gauff also asked her coach for advice during the game.
“I don’t think we were all on the same wavelength,” Gauff said after the Wimbledon loss, according to SI.com. “It’s nobody’s fault but mine. I mean, I’m the player out there. I have to make my own decisions on the court.”
The Floridian native discussed the mechanics of Monday’s loss that ended her title defense.
“I often go to the left side on my serve and I’m aware of it, but in the moment it’s hard to avoid it,” she said, according to the Associated Press.
The 23-year-old Navarro will next face Spaniard Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
