Belinda Bencic Defends Coco Gauff Following Service Struggles and Miami Open Finalist Milestone

WTA star Belinda Bencic defends world number three Coco Gauff against negative comments regarding her service struggles and double fault statistics.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 1, 2026, 4:02 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Tennis365

A Shield Against Criticism from a Peer

Belinda Bencic, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist, recently addressed the wave of negative commentary directed at Coco Gauff regarding her technical consistency. Speaking at a press conference in Charleston, Bencic emphasized that while Gauff has faced visible challenges with her service rhythm, the sheer quality and speed of her delivery remain formidable. According to Bencic, the American athlete does not deserve the harsh critiques that often follow her match losses, noting that Gauff's unique style and varied spins make her one of the most difficult opponents on the circuit today.

Statistical Hurdles and the Double Fault Dilemma

The scrutiny surrounding Gauff’s performance is largely rooted in her recent statistical struggles at the baseline. In 2025, Gauff led the WTA Tour with a total of 431 double faults, a significant margin over second placed Ekaterina Alexandrova. This trend has persisted into the current campaign, where she has already recorded 162 double faults across 22 matches. Despite these figures, her ability to maintain a top tier ranking suggests a high level of resilience and an elite all court game that compensates for these periodic service lapses.

Strategic Coaching and the Sabalenka Blueprint

In an effort to stabilize her game, Gauff previously enlisted the expertise of biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan. This move mirrored a successful strategy employed by Aryna Sabalenka, who utilized MacMillan’s intervention to overcome her own severe service issues in 2022. Sabalenka’s subsequent rise to world number one and her Australian Open victory serve as a professional blueprint for Gauff. While progress has been noted by analysts, the technical transition remains a work in progress as Gauff moves into the critical clay court stretch of the season.