Andy Roddick highlights 'negative' Coco Gauff attribute that actually makes her more impressive

Andy Roddick recently highlighted a particular attribute of Coco Gauff, which, according to him, is perceived by some sections of fans as one of the negatives in the WTA star's game. However, Roddick claimed that the attribute actually helps Gauff compete with the likes of Aryna Sabalenka and other elite women's tennis players.

On a recent episode of the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the American former ATP No. 1 praised Gauff's remarkable grit and never-say-die competitive spirit as he revisited her stunning win over Aryna Sabalenka in the women's singles final of this year's French Open. Gauff lost the first set to the Belarusian, but recovered brilliantly to ultimately defeat the WTA No. 1 and clinch her second singles Major crown.

Hailing Coco Gauff's ability to go toe-to-toe against the very best in the world despite possessing weak serves and forehands, Andy Roddick said:

"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?" (from 39:00)

Gauff had also come back from a set down to beat Sabalenka to win her maiden singles Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open.

Meanwhile, Roddick went on to opine that despite his compatriot's reliance on athleticism and never giving up being perceived as drawbacks, it benefits her on the court, particularly against the very best players in the world.

"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," he added.

"Coco Gauff could let the ball flutter up on Aryna Sabalenka... that's not an accident" - Andy Roddick after American WTA sensation's French Open 2025 title triumph

Coco Gauff poses with the women's singles trophy at the 2025 French Open (Source: Getty)

Aryna Sabalenka controversially said that Coco Gauff's 2025 French Open success stemmed from her own mistakes during the match and not from the American's performance. In the aftermath of the Belarusian's polarizing take, Andy Roddick bemoaned that Gauff was not given enough credit for the way she played against the World No. 1 in the Roland Garros final.

"The win was great for her, right, then she didn't have to go toe-to-toe on the forehand side. She could let the ball flutter up on Aryna Sabalenka. But that's not an accident, that's taking advantage of the situation, that's called strategy, and I don't know that we give her enough credit for it," Roddick said on his 'Served' podcast.

Coco Gauff ended 2025 as the World No. 3, with her last match of the season interestingly finishing in a loss for her to Aryna Sabalenka in the Round Robin phase of the year-end WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.