Chef Coco is in action yet again! But this time, she has taken up the role of a judge. Trading in tennis balls for tomatoes and rackets for recipes has evolved into a hobby for Coco Gauff. What, according to Gauff, is a successful formula to excel in the kitchen? In 2019, during an interview with Hypebeast, she said, “You need the focus and patience to see through the whole recipe you’re making, one mistake can cost you. If you’re relaxed, you’re able to have more fun with it and have the confidence to add your own twist on dishes.” Recently, tennis stars Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula were spotted putting their best “food” forward in Stuttgart, and Gauff appeared there as the judge. Who was the winner in that cooking contest, according to the American, though?

Talking about her love for cooking, in November 2024, Coco Gauff revealed that she was trying to pick up important life skills after moving out of her parents’ house. In an interview with The National, she revealed, “Obviously, I’m living alone, so I’m just trying to learn how to cook more, something I never really had to do living with both parents who like to cook. So it’s been something that I’ve been experimenting with, and had some mostly successes, some failures.“ 

In January 2025, she showcased her culinary skills, proving that she’s not just a master of aces but also of the kitchen. She was spotted cooking a delicious-looking meal of grilled steak, baked potatoes, and green potatoes. Gauff shared a glimpse of her recipe with her fans on social media with the caption, “made by moi 👩🏾‍🍳.” Then a few months later, she shared images of some delectable-looking bread and captioned it with, “Made coco bread, again. 🥥🍞.” However, just like her success stories in the kitchen, she has plenty of failures, which she never hesitates to share with her fans. Last year, she revealed that she tried to bake banana bread for her fitness coach on his birthday. But it didn’t come out well.

Amid all these experiences of good and bad, Coco Gauff has now become a judge, and she was spotted tasting the foods cooked by her peers Pegula and Sabalenka during a cooking show in Stuttgart. The official IG page of Porsche Tennis shared that post with the caption, “Game. Set. Snack. 🎾👩‍🍳 @arynasabalenka wins the flavor point in the cook-off at the @siematic.official show kitchen, @jpegula nails the presentation. Taste test by @cocogauff & @eva.lys. Winner? Everyone with a fork.” Later on, Gauff even shared that post on her IG stories.

Sabalenka managed to add flavors to her food and impress Gauff with her cooking skills, but can she now add flavors to her campaign at the Stuttgart Open? This is a tournament where Sabalenka finished as runner-up three straight times (2021 to 2023). She will be entering this event following her impressive title triumph in the Miami Open. On the other hand, Pegula nailed the presentation on the plate, but can the 2025 Charleston Open champion come up with her best version in this tournament? Time will tell! Can Coco Gauff find the secret recipe to success in Stuttgart?

Former WTA pros highlight the concerning factors in Coco Gauff’s game

Coco Gauff will begin her clay-court campaign at this week’s WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart, where she could face either Tatjana Maria or Ella Seidel in her opening match. If everything goes right, and Coco Gauff makes a long run here, then she could possibly face Aryna Sabalenka in the SF, and in the finals, one among Iga Swiatek, Jessica Pegula, or Mirra Andreeva could be her probable opponent.

The road to glory looks a bit challenging for the American, but her biggest concern at the moment has been her struggle with her serves. In her most recent match at the Miami Open, she committed 12 double faults, and if we go back a little more, Gauff committed 21 double faults in her opening match at the Indian Wells. At the moment, Gauff holds the record for the most double faults in 2025 in the WTA Tour (125 double faults in just 18 matches).

Considering all these things, Andrea Petkovic recently stated, “Coco Gauff, a disappointing month for her in Indian Wells, in Miami. Did you see her service motion live? I just saw it on video.” In reply to her, Aussie legend, Rennae Stubbs said, “I just… her grip is wrong. I think her elbow gets super low and sort of so close to her body. The left arm jumps down. There’s so many little technical things that are going to be a problem for her going forward forever. Because it doesn’t just go away. You know, Billie Jean King always said bad technique breaks down under pressure.”

She further added that she believes this thing is going to be “a problem for her forever” unless she addresses that again. Do you think Gauff can keep things tidy and serve more aces on her opponent’s plate during her matches in Stuttgart?