As the 2025 French Open kicks off on May 25 at Roland Garros, Coco Gauff, the world No. 2 and reigning US Open champion, enters as one of the top contenders for the women’s title. With a favorable draw keeping her clear of world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek until a potential final, the 21-year-old American is poised for a deep run. However, former British No. 1 Tim Henman has raised a critical concern about Gauff’s game that could threaten her quest for a first Roland Garros crown. Despite her stellar clay-court season, marked by finals in Madrid and Rome, Henman warns that Gauff’s persistent struggles with her serve, particularly her second serve, could prove costly on the demanding Parisian clay.
Gauff’s 2025 season has been a blend of brilliance and frustration. She started the year with a perfect 5-0 record at the United Cup, defeating Swiatek in straight sets to lead the U.S. to the title. Her clay campaign has been equally impressive, with a 6-1, 6-1 rout of Swiatek in Madrid and a grueling three-hour semifinal win over Qinwen Zheng in Rome. Yet, her loss to Jasmine Paolini in the Italian Open final, 6-4, 6-3, highlighted a recurring issue. “She’s double-faulting 8.9% of the time, and she’s winning just 42.3% of her second-serve points, her lowest rate since 2020,” Henman noted, pinpointing the technical flaw in her serve that opponents have exploited. Gauff’s 127 double faults this season lead the WTA Tour, a stark contrast to her otherwise dominant game, which blends explosive athleticism, a powerful backhand, and improved forehand spin on clay.
Henman, speaking as a Sky Sports analyst, emphasized that Gauff’s serve remains a vulnerability despite her athletic prowess. “Technically it’s a pretty extreme grip, and when you look at where the ball toss is on her second serve and where her weight is going, it’s not ideal,” he said. He acknowledged that Gauff’s overall game compensates for this weakness, with her speed and court coverage making her “the best athlete in the women’s game.” However, he cautioned that against top players like Sabalenka or Paolini, who thrive on clay, Gauff’s serve could be targeted, especially in high-pressure moments. Her Madrid Open final against Sabalenka, where she committed eight double faults, underscored this concern, as did her 21 double faults in a single match against Sabalenka at the 2024 Wuhan Open.
Despite this, Henman remains optimistic about Gauff’s prospects. “I think when she is able to let the dust settle, she will be able to sit down and analyse with her team, she will realise she can play better,” he said after her Rome loss. He advised Gauff to take a few days to rest physically and mentally before Paris, leveraging her team’s support, including her mother and new coach Matt Daly, to maintain perspective. “You lose so often in tennis, and to deal with that emotionally is not easy,” Henman added, praising Gauff’s resilience and her ability to compete even when not at her best.
Gauff’s history at Roland Garros offers hope. With an 80% win rate in Paris, she reached the 2022 final and the 2024 semifinals, both times falling to Swiatek, who holds an 11-4 head-to-head edge. Yet, Gauff’s recent victory over Swiatek in Madrid shows she can challenge the Pole on clay. Her draw in 2025 is favorable, with no major threats until a potential fourth-round clash with Barbora Krejcikova or a quarterfinal against Madison Keys. “I didn’t feel that much pressure, really, going into Australia,” Gauff said recently, emphasizing her relaxed mindset. “I was playing pretty free and I don’t really feel that [pressure] here.” This mental freedom, coupled with her clay-court improvements, positions her as a favorite, provided she can address her serve.
As Gauff prepares to face a yet-to-be-named qualifier in her opener, the tennis world watches to see if she can overcome her serving woes. Henman believes that if Gauff can make her serve “solid and reliable,” her athleticism and mental toughness could carry her to the title. With the women’s field wide open—“Literally anybody can win this tournament,” Gauff teased—the stage is set for her to make a statement in Paris, but only if she can tame the technical glitch that Henman fears could derail her dream.
# Coco Gauff’s French Open 2025 Challenge: Henman’s Serve Concern
## A Rising Star on Clay
Coco Gauff, the 21-year-old world No. 2, enters the 2025 French Open as a top contender, bolstered by a stellar clay season with finals in Madrid and Rome. The reigning US Open champion, who led the U.S. to the United Cup title in January, boasts an 80% win rate at Roland Garros, reaching the 2022 final and 2024 semifinals. Yet, as she prepares for her first-round match on May 25, former British No. 1 Tim Henman has flagged a critical issue: her serve, particularly her second serve, which could jeopardize her quest for a first French Open title.
## Henman’s Warning
Gauff’s serve has been a persistent concern, with 127 double faults in 2025, the highest on the WTA Tour. “She’s double-faulting 8.9% of the time, and she’s winning just 42.3% of her second-serve points, her lowest rate since 2020,” Henman observed. He pointed to her “pretty extreme grip” and suboptimal ball toss and weight transfer as technical flaws. This was evident in her Madrid Open final loss to Aryna Sabalenka, where she committed eight double faults, and a 2024 Wuhan Open match where she hit 21. Henman warns that top players like Sabalenka or Jasmine Paolini, whom Gauff lost to in Rome, could exploit this weakness.
## A Resilient Competitor
Despite this, Henman remains confident in Gauff’s potential. “I think when she is able to let the dust settle, she will be able to sit down and analyse with her team, she will realise she can play better,” he said after her Rome defeat. He praised her as “the best athlete in the women’s game,” citing her explosive speed and court coverage. Gauff’s ability to win despite serving struggles, as seen in her three-hour Rome semifinal victory over Qinwen Zheng, underscores her resilience. “You lose so often in tennis, and to deal with that emotionally is not easy,” Henman noted, crediting her team, including coach Matt Daly and her mother, for providing perspective.
## A Favorable Draw
Gauff’s draw offers a clear path, avoiding Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek until a potential final. Her first major test could come against Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round or Madison Keys in the quarterfinals. Her 6-1, 6-1 win over Swiatek in Madrid proves she can challenge the Pole, who has dominated their rivalry 11-4. Gauff’s relaxed mindset—“I didn’t feel that much pressure, really, going into Australia,” she said—adds to her confidence. She views the open women’s field optimistically: “Literally anybody can win this tournament.”
## The Path Forward
Gauff’s clay-court game has evolved, with a heavier forehand and improved spin control, as Henman noted during her Rome match against Mirra Andreeva. Yet, her serve remains the key to unlocking her full potential. If she can make it “solid and reliable,” as Henman suggests, her athleticism and mental toughness could propel her to the title. As she steps onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, Gauff’s ability to address this technical flaw will determine whether she can convert her clay-court promise into Grand Slam glory.
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