**Roddick and Courier’s Blunt Verdict on Coco Gauff’s Italian Open Loss to Paolini**
Andy Roddick and Jim Courier delivered a stark assessment of Coco Gauff’s 6-4, 6-2 defeat to Jasmine Paolini in the Italian Open final on May 17, 2025, labeling it “very concerning” for the World No. 3. Speaking on Tennis Channel’s TCLive, the former Grand Slam champions expressed shock at Gauff’s performance, with Courier admitting, “I did NOT see that coming,” and Roddick noting Paolini’s dominance “made it a bit easier” due to Gauff’s uncharacteristic errors. Their comments, reported by TennisUpToDate.com and Yardbarker, highlight worries about Gauff’s form heading into Roland Garros.[](https://tennisuptodate.com/wta/very-concerning-roddick-and-courier-blunt-verdict-on-coco-gauffs-loss-to-jasmine-paolini)[](https://www.yardbarker.com/tennis/players/coco_gauff/906971)
Gauff, who reached her first Rome final after defeating Zheng Qinwen in a grueling semifinal, struggled with 28 unforced errors and a faltering serve, exacerbated by a foot injury requiring treatment, per ESPN. Roddick pointed out that Gauff’s errors, particularly on serve, gifted Paolini early breaks, stating, “Coco’s mistakes handed the match away.” Courier echoed this, noting Paolini’s tactical brilliance but emphasizing Gauff’s “unusually flat” mental and physical state, a sentiment shared on X by @TheCatcherMgz. Paolini, the No. 6 seed, capitalized with relentless baseline play, becoming the first Italian woman to win Rome in 40 years, per Sportskeeda.
The loss, Gauff’s second consecutive WTA 1000 final defeat, raised red flags for Roddick and Courier, who see her clay court consistency—evident in her 2022 French Open final run—waning. “It’s very concerning when you see this kind of dip,” Courier said, per TennisUpToDate.com, citing Gauff’s inability to counter Paolini’s aggression. X posts, like @NarasimhaRN5, noted Paolini’s superior tennis IQ and serve return as decisive factors. Despite Gauff’s gracious post-match comments praising Paolini, per The Express, the defeat sparked debate among fans, with some on Facebook harshly calling her performance “disgusting,” though others defended her resilience.
With Roland Garros looming, Roddick and Courier’s blunt verdict underscores the need for Gauff to address her serve and mental sharpness. While her clay form remains strong, this loss highlights vulnerabilities that could impact her Grand Slam aspirations.
