Coco Gauff has revealed that Carlos Alcaraz sent her a private message after she shared a video of an unusual training drill, telling her he also struggled with it at first.
The world No. 4 spoke about the exchange ahead of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, where she is competing in the season-ending tournament. Gauff had prepared for the event by cutting a portion out of her racket frame and placing tennis balls on top of poles, swinging at them to test her accuracy through the gap. Missing the ball meant hitting the pole.
Drill inspired by Alcaraz
The training method was used by Alcaraz earlier this year as he prepared to return from a four-and-a-half-month wrist injury layoff. The Spanish star shared videos of himself completing the drill on Instagram, which inspired Gauff's team.
Asked in Indian Wells whether she or her coaches decided to copy Alcaraz's approach, the two-time Major champion said: "It was actually neither. It was my fitness coach Fabian."
Gauff added: "I was thinking it was just for, like, his wrist. It was actually working on spacing, coordination with the ball and stuff. Actually, I didn't like it at first because I kept hitting the pole. Then I started to like it."
Alcaraz's message of support
Gauff's view changed after hearing from Alcaraz himself. She said: "I actually, like, talked to Carlos a little bit. He said he was messing up in the beginning a lot first, too, so that made me feel better about myself."
She continued: "My team was like, 'If Carlos can do it, you can do it'. I'm like, 'He's Carlos and I'm me'. He doesn't post his bloopers."
Gauff confirmed that Alcaraz reached out after seeing her training footage. "Yeah, after I posted it. He messaged me. I had to get confirmation to make sure I wasn't the only one messing up," she said.
Form and tournament outlook
The drills have paid off for Alcaraz, who has won two titles since returning to competition in late August. The world No. 3 defended his Japan Open title in Tokyo and then lifted the trophy in Vienna last week. He is now into his first Paris Masters semi-final.
Gauff is aiming to win the WTA Finals for the second time in three years, having claimed the title in 2024. She has been drawn in a round-robin group alongside Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Linda Noskova. The other group features Aryna Sabalenka, Mirra Andreeva, Elina Svitolina, and Karolina Muchova.
It has been a month since Gauff last played, having lost in the round of 16 at the China Open and skipped the Wuhan Open. "I had a mix of rest and training while I was at home," the 22-year-old said. "Kind of treating it like the off-season for a little bit, then a little bit of a pre-season, too, just because right after this I have BJK Cup, then it's Thanksgiving, then it's time to start for pre-season again. Just trying to think I'm fresh for 2027."
