Nick Kyrgios wants to get back in the game, but in a different way than you might think.
The former 2022 Wimbledon finalist turned tennis commentator could be looking for a new job as Coco Gauff’s coach.
Kyrgios offered his services to the 2023 US Open champion after she lost in the fourth round to fellow American Emma Navarro 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, again missing out on the quarter-finals at the hands of Navarro as she did at Wimbledon.
Kyrgios has become known for his bad-boy antics on the court, including insulting referees, spitting on fans and occasionally making obscene gestures. But he still reached a world ranking of No. 11 in 2022.
Kyrgios’ offer also comes at a time when Gauff’s current coach Brad Gilbert is facing intense criticism for their continued partnership following another early Grand Slam exit.
Although Gilbert has taught Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi in the past, fans have urged the young American to break up with her coach.
“My honest advice to @CocoGauff is to fire @bgtennisnation. He became Gauff’s head coach in November 2023 and his game has regressed since then. Brad loves himself more than anyone and that doesn’t work if you’re a head coach,” wrote one tennis blogger on X.
In the same post, a fan commented that Kyrgios should team up with her, to which he replied: “I would coach her.”
Even 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs commented on Gauff’s “poor” technique to Gilbert in a conversation on ESPN.
“Where is Coco’s confidence?” Stubbs asked, according to Sportskeeda. “There’s no second serve, that’s the sign. And that’s a problem.”
“Under pressure, bad technique breaks down and her technique is… hard for me to say because Brad (Gilbert) is sitting here… but her technique, the elbow, is too low, the grip is a little weird too,” she continued. “So it’s hard for her to get that good first serve and then the same or a similar second serve.”
Gauff, 20, didn’t play well in the hard-court tournaments leading up to the Open and didn’t improve much in Flushing as she continually struggled with her service game.
During the fourth-round match, Gauff’s frustration showed and she continually looked up at her box saying, “Tell me something!”
Against Navarro, she committed 60 unforced errors and committed 19 double faults.
New York Post
