Risky rally: Are Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula heading into clay with a bad play?

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula make big mistakes despite strong seasons

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula stand out as two of the most talented players in women’s tennis.

Both are ranked among the top 10 in the world, with Pegula currently sitting at World No. 5 and Gauff at World No. 6.

Pegula has had a strong start to the year, picking up titles in Dubai and Charleston, while Gauff is still looking for her first title of 2024. Though she hasn’t lifted a trophy yet, Gauff’s recent run to the Miami Open final showed signs she’s getting back to her best.

But despite their achievements so far this season, both have made one big decision that could impact their campaigns: their choice of coach.

Why Gauff and Pegula should have featured in the Billie Jean King Cup

The United States won’t be taking part in this year’s Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Without some of their key players, the US team was beaten 3-1 by Belgium at the Coretec Dome in Ostend.

Hanne Vandewinkel started things off by beating Iva Jovic, and then Elise Mertens put Belgium further ahead.

Caty McNally and Nicola Melichar kept American hopes alive in the doubles, before Greet Minnen finished things off for Belgium with a win over Madison Keys.

The result was disappointing for the US, especially after reaching last year’s final before losing to Italy. It’s been a long wait since their last title, with their most recent win coming back in 2017.

Had even one of the country’s top three-ranked players taken part, it might have been a different story. Relying on an inexperienced line-up made it difficult from the start. Still, expecting to advance without any of Gauff, Pegula or Amanda Anisimova was always going to be a tall order. At just 18 years old, Iva Jovic did what she could but needed more help around her.

The absence of top talent was felt throughout the campaign. Whether Gauff, Pegula and Anisimova make themselves available next time will be something to keep an eye on moving forward.

Lindsay Davenport addresses the USA’s Billie Jean King Cup elimination

After the loss, US captain Lindsay Davenport spoke to Tennis.com, admitting the team struggled to find their rhythm.

“We tried really hard all week to find our groove and to figure out how we were gonna play, how we’re gonna get three points,” U.S. captain Lindsay Davenport said after the defeat, as per Tennis.com.

“But Belgium played so well. They had a great crowd here.

“We just never quite got to playing our best. We got a little bit of, obviously, bad luck with McCartney. She was playing great.

“We felt like she had really seized momentum in that match when things started to go the other way. But we’ll keep working. It’s a process for sure.”

The loss means the US hasn’t won the event since 2017, marking nearly a decade without a title.

Coco Vandeweghe and Shelby Rogers secured that title in 2017, beating Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich and Aryna Sabalenka 6-3, 7-6 in the final doubles match of a 3-2 victory.

Read more: