“I’m super excited for a new change and hopefully to improve other parts of my game,” is what Coco Gauff said ahead of her China Open participation. But what exactly is the reason behind her excitement? The whole tennis world recently witnessed a shocking update as Gauff announced her much-anticipated split with Brad Gilbert. While many already saw it coming, others still find it hard to spare words in response to the shocking move. Among all the renowned names that stepped forward to drop reactions, former pro-Alexandra Stevenson dropped a unique verdict.

Stevenson recently shared her thoughts on Coco Gauff’s decision to part ways with Gilbert after a 14-month partnership. The 43-year-old seemed surprised by the quick separation, as she commented, “It’s interesting to me that they already decided to part ways… it wasn’t that long. Last summer was lightning in a bottle. She won Cincinnati, the US Open, all the wins. Brad Gilbert came in, and it was like a fairy tale beginning.”

Stevenson pointed out that 2023 felt like Gauff’s breakthrough year on the big stage after her US Open victory, but she also faced tremendous expectations after her Grand Slam triumph which turned out to be a challenge, but that’s a challenge every young champion must face. “She became the target after that,” Stevenson said, highlighting the troubles that followed Gauff’s major victory.

The 14-month-long partnership between Gauff and Gilbert began in July 2023 when Gilbert joined her team as a consultant. By November, he took on a full-time coaching role and helped guide Gauff to one of her best seasons, including four titles and her first Grand Slam at the US Open. She also climbed to a career-high ranking of world No. 2 in June 2024.

However, Gauff’s 2024 season didn’t follow the same upward trajectory. She couldn’t defend her US Open title, being eliminated in the fourth round by fellow American Emma Navarro, a match in which she hit 19 double faults and committed 60 unforced errors. Gauff later admitted the loss was disappointing.

After the split, Gilbert took to social media to thank Gauff and her team, writing, “Thanks to Coco Gauff and the entire team for an absolutely amazing summer run in 2023 and for 14 months of incredible team effort. Coco, at just 20 years young, your future is incredibly bright.” Gauff warmly responded by posting her gratitude on X, “Thank you Brad Gilbert! We had an incredible run and I wish you all the best in the future,” she wrote.

While Stevenson dropped her verdict on the separation of Gauff and Gilbert, there have been opinions coming through from some renowned journalists as well.

Jon Wertheim describes the already-known nature of Coco Gauff’s recent split

In a recent episode of ‘Served with Andy Roddick,’ Jon Wertheim shared his thoughts about the split between Coco Gauff and Brad Gilbert. Andy Roddick seemed to be curious about Wertheim’s take as the latter delved into the details of the staggering move. The journalist candidly explained that the partnership started unraveling after Gauff’s disappointing performance at the 2024 US Open, where she was knocked out in the fourth round by Emma Navarro. Gauff’s struggles, especially with her serve and unforced errors, added pressure to their already strained relationship and eventually the duo parted ways.

Wertheim pointed out the close-knit nature of the tennis world, mentioning it as a “small town” where rumors and whispers often surface before official announcements. Insiders were already talking about the potential split before Gauff publicly confirmed it. “You hear chatter about what relationships are frayed,” Wertheim said.

While the split may not have been entirely shocking to those in the tennis community, their achievements together left a lasting impact on Gauff’s career and Gilbert’s coaching legacy.