As the clay courts of Roland Garros beckon, Coco Gauff is leaving no stone unturned in her quest to conquer the 2025 French Open. The 21-year-old American tennis sensation, fresh off a grueling yet stellar clay season, has revealed a chillingly unique method to recharge her body and mind: plunging into an ice bath at a bone-numbing -140 degrees Celsius. This bold recovery tactic, shared via her Instagram Stories on May 18, 2025, underscores Gauff’s relentless drive to optimize her performance as she eyes her second Grand Slam title. With back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome behind her, Gauff’s preparation signals a player poised to transform her clay-court prowess into a Parisian triumph.
Gauff’s 2025 clay swing has been nothing short of remarkable. Reaching the finals of both the Madrid and Rome Opens, she showcased her growing mastery on the red dirt, a surface where she reached the 2022 French Open final and won the 2024 doubles title with Katerina Siniakova. In Madrid, she fell to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a hard-fought battle, while in Rome, home favorite Jasmine Paolini thwarted her bid for the title. Despite these losses, Gauff’s performances—highlighted by a stunning 6-1, 6-1 rout of four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek in Madrid—have cemented her as a top contender. “I felt great out here on the court today,” Gauff said after her Madrid semi-final, reflecting on her aggressive yet controlled play. Her 19-4 clay record this season, coupled with nine singles titles, including the 2024 WTA Finals, positions her as a formidable force.
Yet, Gauff’s journey hasn’t been without challenges, particularly with her serve. Her Rome final against Paolini exposed a persistent issue: seven double faults, a problem that ballooned to 16 in her semi-final win over Qinwen Zheng. “With the double-faults, it’s something I know I have to improve and do better,” Gauff admitted post-match. “If I want to make it to the next level, it’s definitely something I have to improve.” Experts like Rick Macci and Rennae Stubbs, both former coaches of Serena Williams, have weighed in, with Stubbs pointing to a faulty grip and low elbow position as technical flaws. “There’s so many little technical things that are going to be a problem for her going forward forever,” Stubbs noted on her podcast. Gauff, however, is tackling this head-on, working with her new coach to refine her serve, a process that showed progress at the Australian Open, where she reduced double faults to nine in a tough opening-round win.
The ice bath, a cryogenic therapy session, is a cornerstone of Gauff’s recovery strategy, designed to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after the physical toll of clay-court tennis. The -140°C temperature, far colder than standard ice baths, reflects her willingness to push boundaries off the court as fiercely as she does on it. “It was cool to just be in a different space,” Gauff said of a recent off-court escapade at the Oscars, hinting at her knack for balancing intense preparation with moments of levity. This holistic approach—merging cutting-edge recovery with mental resets—echoes her 2024 French Open mindset, where breathing exercises and meditation helped her stay focused. “I like to lay on the ground and just meditate, whether it’s for literally a minute or two,” she shared last year, a practice she’s likely carrying into 2025.
Gauff’s mental resilience is as critical as her physical preparation. After a disappointing 2024 summer, marked by a fourth-round US Open exit with 19 double faults, she overhauled her game, adopting a new grip and coach. Her 2025 season began with a flourish—going 5-0 to lift the United Cup trophy and defeating Swiatek in straight sets. “I think just accepting the highs and lows,” Gauff reflected at Indian Wells, emphasizing her ability to reset after setbacks. This mindset will be crucial at Roland Garros, where she faces stiff competition from Swiatek, Sabalenka, and Paolini, all of whom she’s battled this season. Her candid take on Swiatek’s struggles—“I think for sure it changes some things when you maybe see someone who won Roland Garros that many times not having the best results”—reveals a strategic awareness that could give her an edge.
As the French Open looms, starting May 25, 2025, Gauff’s preparation blends innovation, grit, and optimism. Her ice bath ritual, paired with technical adjustments and mental fortitude, positions her to chase “unfinished business” at Roland Garros, as she told rolandgarros.com. With a career-high No. 2 ranking and a 2024 doubles title already in her pocket, Gauff’s confidence is palpable. “I’m able to turn it around. It’s happened before,” she said, a nod to her ability to rebound with one breakthrough match. Whether she can solve her serving woes and harness her clay-court dominance, the tennis world awaits a potential coronation of America’s brightest star on Paris’s hallowed clay.
Leave a Reply