Coco G`auff was defeated convincingly by Emma Navarro on Sunday evening 6-4, 6-3 but perhaps wasn’t the main discussion point as she came to blows with her coach Brad Gilbert and her team during the clash.
Gauff looked helpless throughout the tie which raised the debate about how much coaching is used in tennis. She had a wide open section in which she was the main seed and looked likely to reach the final if she continued on. But she crashed out. Navarro was broken early but she immediately cancelled out any advantage and built from there. She held serve to fend off two break points. She raised her level at the right time to snatch the set 6-4 and continued her clinical display.
Gauff looked helpless and looked for answers from her box. She went 4-1 down and started waving her arms. “Tell me something. You guys aren’t saying anything,” she shouted. Gilbert was also criticised for looking down into his hat and the floor when Gauff shouted at the box later in the tie. The World No.2 served to stay in the match, but it wasn’t enough as Navarro’s advantage told and she romped to victory.
“It was a tough match. She played well,” said Gauff. “Yeah, I think she played great tennis. There was moments in the first set that I had chances to capitalize on the break.
She also discussed what went wrong in her box with Gilbert and Jean-Christophe Faurel unable to give her answers. “We had a game plan going in,” she stated. “I felt that it wasn’t working. I don’t always ask for advice on the box. Today was one of those rare moments where I felt I didn’t have solutions.
“I don’t want to say I didn’t have any because I think I’m a capable player of coming up with some. I think today mentally there was a lot going on. I felt like I wanted more direction from the box. “It’s happened before. I wouldn’t say it’s happened before with the combination of JC and Brad, but it’s happened before in the past where I felt like I needed more direction. They usually give me something. “I felt today I don’t think we were all in sync. It’s no one’s blame except myself. I mean, I’m the player out there. I have to make decisions for myself on the court.”
