Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old tennis prodigy, is riding high after her stunning French Open victory in June 2025, where she clinched her second Grand Slam title by defeating World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling final. Yet, as the tennis world turns its gaze to the grass courts of Wimbledon, concerns are mounting about her ability to translate her clay-court dominance to the slick, unpredictable surface of the All England Club. With her grass season kicking off in Berlin against China’s Xinyu Wang, Gauff faces a pivotal moment to prove she can conquer her lingering “hiccups” and silence the skeptics.
Gauff’s journey at Wimbledon has been a mix of promise and frustration. At just 15, she burst onto the scene in 2019, stunning her idol Venus Williams in the first round and reaching the fourth round, igniting dreams of a future championship. However, she has yet to advance past that stage at the All England Club, with her most recent campaign in 2024 ending in a disappointing fourth-round loss to compatriot Emma Navarro in straight sets (6-4, 6-3). Reflecting on that defeat, Gauff admitted, “We had a game plan going in, and I felt that it wasn’t working. I don’t always ask for advice from the box, but today was one of those rare moments where I felt I didn’t have solutions.” Her struggles on grass, coupled with a rapid transition from clay, have raised questions about her readiness for the upcoming Grand Slam, which begins on June 30, 2025.
Former tennis pros Andy Roddick and Coco Vandeweghe have voiced concerns about Gauff’s grass-court adjustment. On a recent Tennis Channel podcast, Vandeweghe noted, “There’s gonna be some hiccups along the way for sure, whether you miss some easy balls that you normally wouldn’t have or maybe your percentage of returns back into play isn’t as high as it normally is.” Roddick echoed this sentiment, pointing out the challenges of Gauff’s limited practice time on grass and her demanding schedule, which includes significant travel after her French Open triumph. “She will be short on practice and she will need a little bit of a bump going into Wimbledon,” Roddick said, acknowledging her confidence from recent successes but cautioning that “I don’t think everything is an easy adjustment for her on the grass.”
Despite these warnings, Gauff remains undeterred, approaching Wimbledon with a strategic mindset. In a candid interview on the *Nice Talk* podcast with Nikki Ogunnaike, she revealed her plan to stay hungry by mentally sidelining her French Open win. “I don’t know how I’m going to feel once I step on the court, but I do think that I can give myself the best shot, just trying to keep the moment as minimized as possible, and kind of trying to forget this Roland Garros win, honestly,” she said. Gauff explained that this approach is designed to maintain her drive, avoiding the complacency she felt after her 2023 US Open victory. “I think just to stay hungry. And I think after US Open, kind of the rest of that season, I was just like, OK, well, when US Open, season’s almost over, I’m pretty satisfied,” she added.
To address her grass-court challenges, Gauff is focusing on tactical adjustments, emphasizing a more aggressive style and a bigger serve, as suggested by analysts like Tracy Austin. Her backhand, described as “perfect on grass” for its flat, hard-hitting nature, is a key weapon, but her forehand remains a potential vulnerability. Gauff’s determination is bolstered by her support team, including insights from Serena Williams’ childhood coach, who has offered guidance on navigating the mental and physical demands of grass. As she prepares in Berlin, where she holds a 1-0 head-to-head advantage over Wang, Gauff is poised to fine-tune her game and build momentum.
The tennis world is abuzz with anticipation for Gauff’s Wimbledon campaign. Her recent French Open success has fueled fan optimism, with polls showing her as a top contender alongside players like Sabalenka. Yet, the grass courts present a unique test, and rivals like Navarro and dark horse Jessica Pegula loom as potential threats. Pegula, who reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2023, could disrupt Gauff’s narrative, as Roddick has suggested. For Gauff, the challenge is clear: harness her resilience, adapt her game, and turn her Wimbledon dreams into reality. As she steps onto the grass, the question remains—can Coco Gauff rise above her past struggles and claim Grand Slam glory on the sport’s most hallowed grounds?
Leave a Reply