NEW YORK — In a strategic move that has sent ripples through the tennis world, American phenom Coco Gauff has enlisted the expertise of biomechanics specialist and serve guru, Dr. Ben Crowe, on the eve of her US Open title defense. The development is particularly intriguing as Dr. Crowe is widely credited with orchestrating the dramatic serve transformation of Gauff’s chief rival, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff, who captured her maiden Grand Slam title here in Flushing Meadows last year, has been open about her desire to continuously improve. While her all-court game is formidable, her serve has occasionally been identified as an area with room for growth, particularly in generating more free points and reducing double faults under pressure. Turning to the man who solved Sabalenka’s well-documented serving yips is a clear signal of Gauff’s proactive and analytical approach to the sport.
The Serve Guru: Dr. Ben Crowe's Proven Track Record
Dr. Ben Crowe is not a conventional tennis coach. He is a biomechanist who uses high-speed cameras, motion capture technology, and data analytics to deconstruct the complex kinetic chain of a tennis serve. His work with Sabalenka in late 2022 is the stuff of legend on the WTA Tour. Sabalenka was struggling through a nightmare season, leading the tour in double faults with over 200 more than any other player. The issue was deeply psychological, stemming from a technical glitch that shattered her confidence.
Crowe’s intervention was methodical. He identified a slight flaw in her ball toss and a misalignment in her hip and shoulder rotation during her motion. Rather than a complete overhaul, he made minor, precise adjustments. The results were staggering. Sabalenka went from a player plagued by anxiety on serve to possessing one of the most feared and reliable serves on tour, a key pillar of her ascent to World No. 1 and her Australian Open title in 2023. Reflecting on the change, Sabalenka has said, "He didn't change my technique, he just explained to me what I'm doing wrong. He showed me the numbers, the videos. It was a game-changer."
Gauff's Serve: A Work in Progress with Immense Potential
For Gauff, the serve has always been a weapon, but its consistency has fluctuated. She possesses powerful legs and a strong core, allowing her to generate significant pace and kick. However, her first-serve percentage can dip, and her second serve, while improved, can sometimes become a target for aggressive returners like Sabalenka or Iga Świątek. The partnership with Crowe suggests a desire to add more ruthlessness and efficiency to her game, seeking those crucial cheap points in tight matches.
Key areas Dr. Crowe is likely analyzing with Gauff include:
- Ball Toss Consistency: The foundation of any great serve. A consistent toss allows for optimal contact point and power generation.
- Kinetic Chain Sequencing: Ensuring power is efficiently transferred from the ground up through her legs, core, shoulder, and arm into the racquet head.
- Pronation and Snap: Maximizing the wrist snap and forearm pronation at contact to add both pace and spin, making her serve harder to read and return.
- Variety and Disguise: Enhancing her ability to hit different types of serves—flat, slice, and kick—from the same motion to keep opponents guessing.
This technical fine-tuning is not about a major rebuild mid-season but about optimization. As Gauff’s coach, Brad Gilbert, noted in a recent interview, "It's about marginal gains. We're always looking for one or two percent improvements everywhere. Serve is the biggest one."
A Strategic Masterstroke Before a Home Grand Slam
The timing of this collaboration is a clear strategic decision. The US Open, with its fast hard courts and often lively atmosphere, rewards big servers. A more potent and reliable serve could be the difference between a successful title defense and an early exit. By working with Crowe now, Gauff is directly addressing a potential vulnerability while simultaneously adding a new layer of strength to her game. It demonstrates a champion’s mindset: never be satisfied, and always seek an edge.
Furthermore, it shows a fascinating level of pragmatism in modern tennis. In an era where rivalries are intense, Gauff has put results above any potential awkwardness by hiring a consultant so closely associated with her biggest rival. It speaks to a mature understanding that improvement often comes from seeking out the best expertise, regardless of its provenance. Sabalenka herself took the news in stride, telling reporters, "If it helps her, why not? Ben is amazing. I'm happy he's helping other players. Tennis is about making each other better."
What This Means for the US Open and Beyond
The immediate question is how quickly Gauff can integrate any technical adjustments before the season's final major. Tennis history is filled with stories of players making changes that initially lead to a dip in performance before the benefits are realized. However, given that Crowe’s philosophy is based on subtle biomechanical tweaks rather than a wholesale change, the transition could be relatively smooth.
If the partnership yields even a fraction of the improvement seen with Sabalenka, Gauff becomes an even more daunting opponent. A higher first-serve percentage and more devastating second serve would put immediate pressure on her opponents’ service games and make holding her own serve more routine. This could be the key to not only conquering the hard courts of New York but also making a deeper impact on the surfaces where serve is paramount, like grass at Wimbledon.
In the high-stakes arms race of professional tennis, Coco Gauff has made a calculated and intelligent move. By bringing Dr. Ben Crowe into her team, she is not just working on her serve; she is investing in the technical precision that separates great champions from legendary ones. The tennis world will be watching closely to see if this partnership delivers the same transformative results when the first balls are struck in Arthur Ashe Stadium.