Coco Gauff is making headlines again: not for her on-court power this time, but for a major off-court shake-up. She’s officially parted ways with Roger Federer’s agency, Team 8, setting up her own business venture. And guess who’s chiming in again? Rennae Stubbs, who follows the developments around Coco quite keenly. The Aussie, never one to hold back, is now predicting that this bold business move will be a game-changer for Gauff’s future.

In a bold move that signals both maturity and vision beyond her years, Coco has officially parted ways with Roger Federer’s Team8 to launch her own management company, Coco Gauff Enterprises. This new venture reflects the 21-year-old’s desire to take full control of her career trajectory. The firm isn’t just about endorsements or deals: it’s designed to fuse her tennis career with broader ambitions in business and philanthropy. 

The timing couldn’t be more crucial! After the highs of becoming the youngest US Open winner since Serena in 1999, Gauff’s 2025 season has been peppered with inconsistency, prompting some to question whether her packed calendar is pulling her in too many directions. With her new enterprise, Gauff seems intent on cutting through the chaos and reclaiming her focus. But what’s Stubbs got to say about it?

Talking with Racquet magazine’s co-founder Caitlin Thompson on the latest episode of her podcast named The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, which aired on 8th April,  Stubbs said, “Yeah, it is a big deal. And you sort of wonder how it came about in a lot of ways. Like, what was the discussion had with Team 8 that wasn’t, or more along the lines, you wonder what the discussion was with WME, that wasn’t being had at Team 8. That to me is the one that’s kind of interesting, because you go up and you say, I want to do this, and I want to do this, and I want to do this, and they go, well, that’s not really our jam.” 

She later added, “I do think that one of the things that makes Coco so unique is her off-court advocacy. She is reliably a citizen of the world, and she’s engaged politically. I love that about her. But he’s famously apolitical at a time when, I would argue, sports could use some leadership.”

Since she was just 13, Coco’s career has been carefully molded under the watchful eye of Tony Godsick: the influential architect behind Team8, who co-founded the org with Roger Federer in 2013. Godsick, known for orchestrating Federer’s billion-dollar business portfolio, boasts a legacy of working with icons like Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport, and Anna Kournikova during his IMG years. 

While Godsick remains a strategic figure in shaping Gauff’s broader vision, her day-to-day operations have been steered by Alessandro Barel Di Sant Albano, the same savvy agent who has been guiding the fast-rising Ben Shelton. Together, they’ve played a vital role in navigating her journey: until now, as she pivots toward independence.

Talking about the launch of her new business venture on IG, Coco said, “This is just the beginning of an exciting new era for me, and there is much more to come, which I’ll be excited to share in due time. As always, tennis will continue to be my main priority!” 

And while Stubbs has shed light on the possible reason behind Coco’s split with Roger Federer’s company and creation of her own new venture, she reckons Coco Gauff has some work to do on the technical aspects of her game.

“Her grip is wrong,” Rennae Stubbs on Coco Gauff’s service issue

Coco Gauff’s serving struggles continue to be a hot topic in the tennis world. The World No. 4 has hit more double faults than any other WTA player in 2024, with the trend lingering into 2025 despite changes in her coaching team, with Matt Daly replacing Brad Gilbert.

On another episode of her podcast, Rennae Stubbs, alongside former 9th seed Andrea Petkovic, analyzed Gauff’s serving issues. Stubbs also pointed out the alarming number of double faults during Gauff’s Miami Open defeat to Magda Linette, emphasizing that the technical flaws are yet to be addressed.

“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.” Stubbs said. 

Despite a disappointing early exit at her home tournament, Coco Gauff now stands on the edge of a golden opportunity as the clay season kicks off. Known for her prowess on the dirt, the 21-year-old American looks poised to reignite her form with a statement performance in Stuttgart this April. With the surface playing to her strengths, could this be the perfect springboard for Gauff to claim her first title of the year and silence the doubters?