Coco Gauff in a ‘rebuilding period’ and looking to ‘hit next gear’ as Brad Gilbert joins coaching team at Citi Open

Coco Gauff admits she is going through a “rebuilding” phase in her career and is “trying to hit the next gear”.

Gauff is returning to action at the Citi Open in Washington D.C. this week following a surprise first-round loss at Wimbledon.

The 19-year-old has taken steps forward since the start of last season, reaching her first Grand Slam final at the French Open in 2022 and getting to No. 4 in the world rankings.

But a big title still eludes her – all three she has won have been at WTA 250 level.

“I definitely do feel like I’m in a rebuilding period,” she said ahead of playing in Washington DC, where she is the third seed.

“I’m trying to hit the next gear of my game. I feel like I have the foundation in my game. Now it’s building around that, it’s building the house, I guess, essentially. I have the land and I need to build the house on top of it, make it as extravagant and big and pretty as possible.

“That’s a good way to put it. I never thought about it like that.”

Gauff hired Pere Riba to work on her coaching team earlier this summer and she also now brought in Brad Gilbert.

Gilbert, who has coached Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray in the past, has been working with Gauff ahead of the Citi Open.

“I’m really happy with how the dynamic is going,” Gauff said about her new-look team.

“I was a little bit nervous at first but I feel really good about everything now.

“I’m really open to learning from the game and learning from people and getting different perspectives, so I think that it will help me. My team I think have done a good job communicating amongst themselves before they bring anything to me. So I really feel we’re all on one page and one accord.

“I think having someone with a little bit more experience will help me like for the pressure moments, the semi-finals, finals, quarter-finals. Those moments that I still think I need to get better at.”

Gauff’s only appearance in a final this season was in her opening event in Auckland when she went on to win the title.

“I am trying to be more positive of myself and accept that I’m learning, not a different way to play, but I’m learning to enhance the way I play,” she reflected.

“So I’m trying to make sure my first instincts are always the right decision, whether I make the ball or not.

“I’m trying to be more gracious when it comes to misses and mistakes even if it’s the right decision. It’s something that doesn’t come easy to me naturally because I am a bit of a perfectionist. So I’m trying to accept the flaws because it’s impossible to be perfect.

“That’s what I’ve learned the most of watching a lot more matches, especially in person, that you do you see certain players, even Daniil [Medvedev] or Carlos [Alcaraz], they don’t really get too upset with themselves in certain moments. Even if they miss a shot at 30-all, they’re accepting it was the right decision, and eventually the tables are going to turn.

“I think that’s something I’m trying to learn and accept more.”