LIVE
...

Follow us on

News

Andy Roddick states the mistake many people are making with Coco Gauff, ‘shame on us’

Coco Gauff looks on during the 2025 French Open, inset Andy Roddick attends a press conference at the 2019 New York Open
Credit: Tnani Badreddine/DeFodi Images/DeFodi/Slaven Vlasic via Getty Images
Follow us on Google Discover

Coco Gauff has stormed into another French Open final, where she will take on world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

Gauff played the role of the villain in her French Open semi-final, in which she defeated home favourite Lois Boisson.

WTA number two Gauff was full of praise for Boisson after knocking her out at Roland Garros, having won their match 6-1, 6-2.

Rennae Stubbs has told Gauff to improve ahead of her meeting with Sabalenka, which represents a repeat of the 2023 US Open final.

The American won that Grand Slam final on home soil, a year after she lost the French Open final to Iga Swiatek.

Coco Gauff celebrates reaching the 2025 French Open final
Photo by Frey/TPN/Getty Images

Andy Roddick states the mistake people make with French Open finalist Coco Gauff

A reunion with Swiatek was on the cards until Sabalenka defeated the Pole 7-6(7-1), 4-6, 6-0 in their semi-final.

The 27-year-old Belarusian is now chasing a fourth Grand Slam title, with Gauff eyeing a second at the age of just 21.

READ MORE: Andy Roddick predicts who will have the better tennis career out of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz

2023 US Open - Day 13
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

And that is a situation that former world number one Andy Roddick has discussed ahead of the French Open final.

He said on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast: “We take a lot of stuff for granted when people become really, really good.

“Coco is 21 right now. Sabalenka did not win her first major until she was 24, almost 25, in Australia a couple of years ago.

“She has figured it out earlier than a lot of people who have won a lot of majors. Of course, she is still building her game and there are imperfections.

“There are only a couple of Rafa [Nadal] and Steffis [Graf] who have figured out by 21, Serenas [Williams].

ResultYearTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss2022French OpenClayIga Swiatek1–6, 3–6
Win2023US OpenHardAryna Sabalenka2–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win2025French OpenClayAryna Sabalenka6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–4
Coco Gauff Grand Slam finals

“If that is who we are comparing her to to get to a place of disappointment then shame on us. She is fantastic. I love the way she competes.

“She is a model [example]. She never says anything dumb. She never puts a foot wrong. She is 21, she has literally grown up in front of us, and she does not mess up. That is impossible.”

Coco Gauff must be praised not criticised as she reaches French Open final

Gauff has enjoyed a superb career so far, with the American having won a total of nine titles on the WTA Tour.

She currently occupies her career-best rank of world number two, and is very likely only going to continue getting better with age.

READ MORE: Andrea Petkovic says what she realised about a 14-year-old Coco Gauff when they practised together

Coco Gauff shakes hands with Lois Boisson after winning their 2025 French Open semi-final
Photo by DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

But her current focus will be on edging out Sabalenka, who is into the first French Open final of her glittering career.

Court Philippe-Chatrier should play host to a thriller, with both players having picked up impressive semi-final wins.

World number one Sabalenka battled past four-time Roland Garros champion Swiatek, while Gauff wasted little time in thrashing Boisson.

Comparisons to the likes of Serena Williams are only going to continue given her nationality, but Gauff simply needs to continue playing her own game.

YearTitlesTournaments
20252Wuhan, French Open
20243WTA Finals, Beijing, Auckland
20234US Open, Cincinnati, Washington DC, Auckland
20211Parma
20191Linz
Coco Gauff’s WTA Tour titles

There is definitely room for improvement in certain areas, but the 21-year-old simply shouldn’t be criticised given all that she has achieved in her relatively brief career so far.

She remarkably won the 2023 US Open final aged 19, with the only downside of her success involving leaving herself open for unnecessary negative comment because she set the bar so high.