Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick sparked discussion by omitting Coco Gauff, the 2025 French Open champion and world No. 2, from his pick to end the nine-year drought for an American woman at Wimbledon, last won by Serena Williams in 2016, per EssentiallySports. Speaking on Tennis Channel, Roddick favored Madison Keys, stating, “I like Maddie Keys from the American side. She’s my favorite… well versed on the grass,” citing her strong 2024 Eastbourne run before an injury against Jasmine Paolini, per. Roddick also noted Jessica Pegula’s potential for a “big run,” but Gauff’s absence from his prediction surprised fans, given her 2023 US Open and 2025 Roland Garros titles, per.
Gauff, 21, has never advanced past Wimbledon’s fourth round, a hurdle she aims to overcome starting June 30, 2025, per WTA Tennis. Her recent 6-3, 6-3 loss to Wang Xinyu at the Berlin Open exposed grass-court struggles, with 25 unforced errors, per EssentiallySports. However, Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci defended Gauff’s potential, emphasizing her “elite speed” as a grass-court asset, per Footboom. Gauff, inspired by Serena since childhood, told Vogue, “I want to serve a lot bigger” on grass, per. Posts on X, like @MSports_all, reflected fan shock at Roddick’s snub, noting Gauff’s clay success, per.
Keys and Pegula, ranked No. 14 and No. 5, face their own “Serena Williams test” to match her Wimbledon dominance, per EssentiallySports. Gauff’s exclusion underscores the pressure on American women to reclaim Serena’s crown, with her aggressive strategy and speed key to defying Roddick’s prediction.
