Coco Gauff's Coach Change Applauded as She Re-Hires Mentor Who Helped Her Breakthrough as a Teen

The team of US player Coco Gauff, including her father Corey (L), mother Candi (C) and French tennis coach Jean-Christophe Faurel (R) celebrate after Gauff beat Slovenia's Polona Hercog during their women's singles third round match on the fifth day of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 5, 2019. (Photo : Daniel LEAL / AFP)

Coco Gauff had a breakout season last year when she won the U.S. Open, her first-ever Grand Slam.

She is looking to add more, and to do that, she tweaked some things with her coaching staff.

The 20-year-old American tennis star is looking to reach a new level by returning to the past.

That is by re-hiring her former coach, who helped her breakthrough when she was still a teen.

French news outfit L'Équipe reported that Gauff reinstated Jean-Christophe Faurel, with whom she worked in 2019.

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Faurel will work with Gauff's other coach, Brad Gilbert, who joined her team last year when she won the U.S. Open.

Faurel and Gauff go way back to when he was among the first to see the American youngster's potential.

The coach had nothing but great words for Gauff.

"When I saw Coco Gauff at 10, I knew she was going to be an outstanding athlete," Faurel said in February.

"She's clearly the fastest and most explosive player on the circuit by a long way. She's a real competitive player, she's a winning player.

"At fifteen, she beat Venus at Wimbledon. At sixteen, she beat Naomi Osaka, world number one in Australia. She has this winning instinct, which is a huge quality."

Faurel was there when Gauff won her first ATP Singles at the 2019 Linz Open.

They went their separate ways the following year when Gauff decided to work full-time with her father instead. Faurel then coached ATP players Alexandre Müller and Mirra Andreeva.

Who is Jean-Christophe Faurel?

Faurel is a former tennis professional who played approximately from 1999 to 2006.

The highest he has reached is world No. 140.

His most remarkable performance as a player was beating world No. 38 Feliciano Lopez at the 2006 Open 13 in France.

His coaching career is much more colorful, though. His success came as a coach to Gauff.

His current client is fellow Frenchman Alexandre Müller, who reached world No. 71 in January this year.

Gauff's 2024 results and schedule

Gauff had a great start to 2024 when she was able to defend the WTA Auckland Open - Women's Singles in New Zealand.

She also reached the semifinals of the Australian Open but exited the Miami Open early when she lost to Caroline Garcia in the fourth round.

Next on her schedule are the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, which will be held from April 15 to 21, and the Madrid Open, which will be held from April 23 to May 4.

The first Grand Slam Faurel and Gauff will work together on is the Roland Garros or French Open, which will be held on May 27.

The farthest she has reached in the French tournament is the finals in 2022, when she lost to Iga ÅšwiÄ…tek, 6-1, 6-3.

Aside from the WTA tournaments, Gauff has other plans for her young career. She also wants to win the Olympics.

"Tennis goals, definitely to win some more slams, and I want to medal at this Olympics or 2028," she said in an interview with Olympics.com.

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