Coco Gauff’s controversial tennis style gets strong defense from Serena Williams’ coach after US Open comeback

Rick Macci has pushed back at critics who call Coco Gauff’s tennis “ugly,” arguing that style should not matter as much as what a player can do when a match gets tough. The longtime coach, who worked with Serena Williams and Venus Williams, defended Gauff after her comeback win over Mirra Andreeva at the 2026 US Open. His point was simple: tennis is about winning points, not looking perfect.Rick Macci defends Coco Gauff’s “ugly” tennis after Mirra Andreeva comebackMacci shared his thoughts on X after Gauff reached the US Open semifinals. “Many people chirp that Coco and her game is ugly. Trust me they are looking at the wrong movie. This is not a beauty contest or a ballroom dancing. Tennis at the highest level is WHAT IS UNDER THE HOOD,” he wrote.“Many players can make the sport flowing and glowing like the great FED,” Macci wrote. “Coco checks so many athletic boxes inside and out and always ready for a 15 round bout.”That view fits what happened against Andreeva. Gauff lost the first set 6-2 and looked uncomfortable. She made 42 unforced errors and hit 12 double faults, according to the official US Open match statistics. Still, she stayed in the match long enough to change its direction.The biggest moment came in the second-set tiebreak. Andreeva had two match points, but Gauff saved both and took the set. She then pulled away in the deciding set to win 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 and reach the semifinals for the second time in her career.That is where Macci’s “under the hood” point becomes important. Gauff can use her speed to reach balls many players would give up on, keep rallies alive and wait for a chance to take control. It may not always look clean, but it can be hard to break down.Coco Gauff’s coaching changes add another layer to her gameGauff currently works with Jean-Christophe Faurel and biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, who joined her team in August 2025 after she parted ways with Matt Daly.MacMillan was brought in mainly to help with Gauff’s serve. He had previously worked with Aryna Sabalenka on the same part of her game. The move came after serve problems, including 23 double faults against Danielle Collins in Montreal and 16 in her Cincinnati quarterfinal loss to Jasmine Paolini.She had shown the value of a new coaching voice during her 2023 run with Brad Gilbert, winning in Washington, Cincinnati and New York.Daly had joined Gauff after the 2024 US Open, and their partnership brought quick success, with Gauff winning the China Open and WTA Finals. MacMillan’s arrival was therefore another major change, even though Gauff had already been winning big titles.Now, another test awaits there. Gauff will face Elena Rybakina in the US Open semifinals. Rybakina reached the last four by beating Zheng Qinwen and also secured the world No. 1 ranking. Gauff may not always produce the prettiest tennis, but she has again shown why results can matter more than appearance.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.