June 4, 2022; Paris, France; Coco Gauff (USA) with the finalist plate after the women's final match against Iga Swiatek (POL) on day 14 of the French Open at Stade Roland-Garros.

tennis

“Her Best Surface Could Be Clay”: Coco Gauff Showered With Praise By Former World No. 1 Ahead of Roland Garros 2025

American Shatters Records En Route to Rome QFs

June 4, 2022; Paris, France; Coco Gauff (USA) with the finalist plate after the women's final match against Iga Swiatek (POL) on day 14 of the French Open at Stade Roland-Garros.

Despite being the runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022, Coco Gauff’s clay court game isn’t spoken about as much as one would assume. The American sensation has reached three finals on the red dirt over the course of her young WTA career, and captured a title at the 2021 Emilia-Romagna Open. Fast forward to 2025 – Gauff reached the final of the Mutua Madrid Open and is currently performing exceedingly well at the Internazionali d’Italia in Rome.

On Monday, Gauff defeated Emma Raducanu of Great Britain in straight sets to advance to the last eight stage. It was a battle of the former US Open champions on Grand Stand Arena, with the 21-year-old emerging victorious. She has also seen off Victoria Mboko and Magda Linette en route to the quarterfinals at the Italian Open this year – where she faces Mirra Andreeva.

In reaching the last eight stage, Coco Gauff has become the youngest player to reach four clay court quarterfinals at the WTA-1000 level since the format was introduced in 2009. “I’m getting used to it [conditions] with each match,” Gauff said about the slow courts in Rome. “I feel really happy with how I played. I think I really was the one dictating the match for the most part.”

Andy Roddick Lauds Gauff’s Clay Court Prowess

Coco making MOVES on clay 🧱 pic.twitter.com/PlcD8pbTBM
— Served with Andy Roddick (@Served_Podcast) May 12, 2025

After Coco Gauff’s magical Round of 16 performance against Raducanu, former World No. 1 Andy Roddick addressed the American’s ability to dig out wins on this surface. “Her best surface might be clay,” Roddick expressed. The 42-year-old is a former US Open champion himself, and also reached the final of Wimbledon on three occasions. “I know that she won the US Open. But I think her best surface could be clay.”

“I think she has had the most extended runs of her career and Masters-1000s – outside of that hard court run – that magical summer. She’s made the final of Roland Garros, another semifinal at Roland Garros, she’s had an extended run in Rome multiple times. I think net-net if she’s playing someone 40 in the world – I think clay is the surface that gets [her] most wins in those match-ups.”

Ranked No. 3 in the world at the moment, Coco Gauff will look for a strong outing in Rome to ensure a good seeding at Roland Garros 2025. Recognising the fact that she will be defending semifinalist points on Court Philippe Chatrier, the onus is on the Atlanta-born starlet to take charge.

Andy Roddick

Coco Gauff

Emma Raducanu

Italian Open

Mirra Andreeva

Roland Garros

Rome Masters

Tennis

WTA

WTA 1000

Sankalp Harikrishnan

A passionate sports fan through and through, I am currently pursuing my MA in Global Sports Journalism. I specialise in tennis and football writing at The Playoffs News, and I have prior experience working at EssentiallySports and Sportskeeda. Born and raised in Bengaluru, India, sport was my safe space right from my childhood. After trying my hand at multiple sports and representing my educational institutions in cricket, badminton and table tennis, I found sports media to be my calling.