Coco Gauff has endured an exhausting US Open campaign, brought to a swift conclusion at the hands of Naomi Osaka.

In all honesty, the crushing speed with which the Japanese superstar dispatched the 21-year-old was almost a mercy, especially given all she had already suffered before this fourth-round clash.

Coco Gauff admitted to having had a panic attack midway through her win over Donna Vekic, and against Naomi Osaka, she looked lost, completely devoid of ideas of how to hurt her opponent.

This has led some to make a bold claim about her immediate future within the sport, particularly given she has only just hired a new coach.

Rick Macci, famed for his work developing Serena and Venus Williams as youngsters, has now weighed in on this debate.

Coco Gauff told by some to skip the rest of 2025

Sparked by plenty of fans, and even picked up by a multiple Grand Slam champion in Rennae Stubbs, they came together to implore Gauff to skip the rest of the 2025 season in order to prioritise training with Gavin MacMillan.

After all, this biomechanics coach has been brought in with the expectation that he will work miracles on her misfiring serve and forehand.

Asked if Coco should shut it down the rest of the year and focus on the technical issues that bubble up under pressure. 100% SHE SHOULD NOT. Coco has had a great year with titles and a Slam. Sometimes when you try to solve a problem you create a different one. Coco will be fine…

— Rick Macci (@RickMacci) September 2, 2025

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Macci, however, found this suggestion ridiculous, and took to X to write: “Asked if Coco should shut it down the rest of the year and focus on the technical issues that bubble up under pressure. 100% SHE SHOULD NOT.

“Coco has had a great year with titles and a Slam. Sometimes when you try to solve a problem you create a different one. Coco will be fine because she is cut from a different cloth.”

Gauff hired MacMillan right before the US Open started, and so is yet to enjoy a clear training block where her full focus is on his teachings.

Coco Gauff says what she’s going to do now after the US Open

Realistically, all this speculation and conjecture is pointless anyway, given Gauff actually told reporters what she plans to do now the US Open is over.

Speaking at her press conference after the loss to Osaka, the youngster admitted: “I have no choice but to do a training block between now and Beijing, it’s just the next tournament that I am signed up for.

“I have said this every year, after the US Open, for me it’s just improvement mode and to get ready for Australia.

“I had good results last year after the US Open, and I think that’s because – I don’t want to say didn’t care because those tournaments deserve effort – but it’s just your mindset is different once the slams are over.

“So whatever happens for the rest of the year, I just want it to be an improvement. I don’t care results-wise.

“Last year, if you told me I would go win in Beijing and the WTA Finals, I would have been like whatever because I didn’t really care going into it. So I am probably going to have that same mindset, and if I do well, I’ll do well, like I did last year and if not, then not.

“But for me, the main improvements that I get are from how I do at the Slams.”

Gauff made another promise to fans after the loss, regarding her long-term plans within the sport.