Coco Gauff had a rollercoaster of a year where she was clamouring to clinch a Grand Slam. After claiming her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, expectations for the young star skyrocketed. She’d made the semifinals at both the Australian Open and French Open but always remained a step from victory. After the grass court season, her results dipped, leaving many wondering how she’d bounce back. She later redeemed herself as she won the WTA Finals, ending her season on a high note. Now, as she gears up for another season, Gauff’s eyes are firmly set on the Australian Open. However, not everyone sees her as the favorite. Serena Williams’ former coach, Rick Macci, has weighed in on the unpredictable nature of the WTA field.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Macci wrote, “The Australian Open on the WTA side is a jump ball. So many players are ready to go to the next level mentally, and Down Under will give us a snapshot of who will go up over.”

The veteran coach had previously praised Gauff in a viral Instagram clip. Macci said, “I have to mention Coco Gauff, the Olympic sprinter with a racquet in her hand. Her backbone is just as good as her backhand.” Pointing out her challenging areas he continued, “Forehand is a little bit dodgy at times. Second serve is dodgy, but she’s such a great competitor, and what I love about Coco- she’s 20 years old! People think she’s been there for a long time, you know, and she’s already top 3,4 in the world. So, she’s not going anywhere. She’s gonna be there for a long time,” 

However, now he feels the field is wide open. He’s not entirely wrong. While the World No. 3 has momentum on her side, there is competition from all sides. Aryna Sabalenka, the two-time defending champion, is gunning for a hat-trick, a feat that was last achieved by Martina Hingis in 1999.

Iga Swiatek is also determined to silence critics after her recent doping controversies. Last year’s finalist, Qinwen Zheng, also has her eyes on redemption as she aims to take that final step this time. And then there’s Elena Rybakina, who is entering 2025 with her new coach, Goran Ivanisevic, to shake things up. The competition is fierce, and the stakes? Even higher.

If the stakes are high, so is the preparation. Coco Gauff is back on the court, preparing for the new season.

Coco Gauff trains for the 2025 season in her downtime

Coco Gauff has been putting in the work during the off-season. She recently shared glimpses of her training on Instagram with the caption, “Work from home, off-season under the sun,” highlighting her focus. Under the guidance of her strength and conditioning coach, Stephan Dalsogolio, she has been pushing herself to new limits.

She had hilariously shared how the practice had been totally painstaking, so much that she almost wanted to give up. The American tennis player posted a picture of a car parked very close to a wall, comparing it to her determination during training. She wrote, “This is how close I am to quitting in the middle of every workout so far this preseason, but quitting ain’t cure, so we finish.”

Gauff’s dedication and resilience are clear, but the road to the Australian Open title will be anything but easy. The 20-year-old will start her season at the United Cup playing for Team America. She will not be defending her Auckland title this year and will be seen straight in action at the Australian Open.

The stage is set, and the Australian Open promises unpredictable battles on the WTA side. With so many contenders in the mix, who will take the trophy?