"Making others falter is a real asset," says Roddick about Gauff's win at Roland-Garros
Coco Gauff won Roland-Garros for the first time in her career. The 21-year-old American defeated Aryna Sabalenka in the final, lifting her second Grand Slam title after the 2023 US Open, where she had also overcome the Belarusian at that time.
In his podcast, Andy Roddick reflected on his young compatriot's journey in Paris and believes that the Atlanta native possesses a quality that makes her the best player in the world in this area, according to the former world number 1.
"Here's the thing. In the round of 16, quarterfinals, and even in the final against Sabalenka, everyone says she didn't play very well, and you know, maybe indeed, Coco (Gauff) didn't show her best tennis.
Sorry, but making others falter is a real asset, it's a true skill. And we always refer to it as if it were a negative point. She is the best in the world at dragging you into that game, where she can rely on different spins and play effectively in defense.
In the final, it was clear that she played with the mentality of making Aryna play one more ball, and that's exactly what worked. The wind was in her favor, right?
She didn't have to struggle with the forehand. She was able to let the ball soar against Aryna Sabalenka, but that's not an accident. It's taking advantage of the situation. That's what is called strategy, and I don't know if she gets enough credit for that," Roddick explained.
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