Coco Gauff's 'gross' attribute is what makes her 'amazing' says Andy Roddick

Thursday, 27 November 2025 at 22:55

byJordan Reynolds

Coco Gauff often struggles with two particular parts of her game, and Andy Roddick thinks how much she has achieved despite that is outstanding.

Gauff's weaknesses have been reported in the media several times. The most prominent is her second serve, with the WTA world No. 3 serving over 400 double faults in 2025 for a second consecutive season.

Shortly before the 2025 US Open, she fired her coach, Matt Daly, and hired biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillian, who successfully helped Aryna Sabalenka with her serving issues a few years ago, for specialist support.

Gauff's forehand is another recurring problem. Although not as chronic a weakness as her second serve, she struggles with it much more than other rivals at the top, like Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

Despite those impediments, Gauff is a two-time Grand Slam champion, won the 2024 WTA Finals, and reached No. 2 in the rankings. She recovered from losing the first set against Aryna Sabalenka in both Major finals, including at this year's French Open.

In an episode of his podcast, Roddick marveled at how Gauff finds a way to win and make matches a scrap despite struggling with her second serve and forehand. He referenced the Grand Slam final wins against Sabalenka.

"I will say this, and it's like a testament to Coco Gauff, and we've covered the serving situation. We've covered the forehand situation. To be dealing with two shots like that and then to take a kind of gross day and somehow being able to manipulate this match into a street fight, a battle of wills where it's not just Sabalenka's dominance on both sides, and she's done it in both of the Slam finals she's won, right?"

The 2003 US Open champion thinks Gauff's second-serve and forehand problems can be reframed from a negative to a point of admiration for how the American No. 1 competes despite enduring those difficulties.

"We always view it as a negative. It is amazing what her base offering, even while trying to negotiate around certain parts of her game that aren't working, twice. She's won Grand Slams and beaten Sabalenka in the final. Like, there is a skill to making a match gross, ugly, however you want to define it, and there is a certain beauty in the ugliness."

Coco Gauff shares a close relationship with her fans

Much of Coco Gauff's popularity stems from her exceptional tennis. She is one of the best athletes in WTA history, possesses an incredible backhand, and can also mix things up by volleying at the net.

Gauff's personality also influences why she has so many fans. That includes consistently posting on social media, especially on Instagram and TikTok, about her life on the court, but also what interests her off it.

In a social media post after the 2025 WTA Finals, where she exited in the group stage, Gauff issued a heartfelt thank you to fans who support her worldwide. The 21-year-old also expressed gratitude for being a professional player and living a childhood dream.