Andy Roddick Says Coco Gauff Is in A “Weird Place” at the Moment After Losing Madrid and Rome Finals

Coco Gauff has endured a mixed season, and she has yet to win a tour-level title this year. The American star will be happy that in the last two tournaments she competed in, she reached the final, but would be disappointed to have missed out on both the titles. Former World No.1 Andy Roddick believes she’s in a weird place at the moment.

Before arriving at the Madrid Open, Gauff had not reached the quarter-finals of a tour-level event. The 21-year-old was heavily criticized for struggling with her serves, the same issue she had last year. However, at the Spanish capital, she produced a masterclass performance which saw her reach the final.

In fact, she beat defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 in the semi-finals. But in the championship match, she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. The World No.2 recovered from the defeat early enough and showed the same level of display at the Italian Open in Rome. She defeated Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva in straight sets before edging past Qinwen Zheng 7-6(3), 4-6, 7-5(4).

In the final, she failed to deliver, losing 4-6, 2-6 against home favorite Jasmine Paolini. Gauff currently has her best run on the clay swing, but with mixed results. She will head into the French Open at the back of two WTA 1000 finals but with less confidence in her ability to get over the finishing line.

American legend Andy Roddick thinks the surprise at Gauff losing the two finals puts her in a weird position heading into the French Open. He added that losing a title match sucks even though one has played great. He said via Served with Andy Roddick:

It’s a strange thing. I have sympathy for her. Coco lost in the finals and it looks like she is really disappointed and angst in the final. She is in this weird place where she has won a slam, she is two in the world and we are also going – why hasn’t she won that final? It is a weird place for her to be. She has played great, turned her year, which at the start was pretty average, and made finals in Madrid and Rome. It’s one of those things where you tell her a month ago that you win this many matches and it’s great, but you lose two finals and it’s like this sucks. 

Gauff has enjoyed a good run at the French Open but has also failed to win the title, having reached the final in 2022. Last year, she reached the semifinals of the tournament, losing to Swiatek in straight sets.

Coco Gauff reveals what she needs to improve in her game ahead of the French Open

Coco Gauff’s major problem on clay has been double faults and unforced errors in the Madrid and Rome finals. In the Spanish capital final, she hit seven double faults, including two while serving for the second set. Two weeks later, in Rome, she committed eight double faults and racked up 55 unforced errors.

According to the WTA statistics, Gauff has compiled 193 doubles faults in 32 matches this year, the most of any player in the circuit this season. After her loss in Rome, she revealed that she knows what’s holding her back in her game. She said:

With the double-faults, it's something I know I have to improve and do better. If I want to make it to the next level, it's definitely something I have to improve. I think it's both confidence and motivation to do better. Hopefully I can get to the final in Roland Garros and maybe the 'third time is a charm' thing is a real thing. 

Should Gauff be able to deal with the errors that have plagued her game, she has a big chance of winning the French Open, which starts on May 25. Her athleticism and aggressive brand of tennis make her a threat on any surface.

Also Read: Daniil Medvedev Names Two Players He’s “Working Hard” to Beat on Clay This Season

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