Coco Gauff revealed how brutally difficult conditions have been at the Madrid Open after battling a virus that swept through the locker room and even vomiting on court while trailing Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 3-4. She regrouped with medical help to win 4-6, 7-5, 6-1, before later falling to Linda Noskova, as doubts and speculation swirled around her illness online. Amid the backlash, Andy Roddick dismissed conspiracy theories, calling the skepticism exaggerated and unfair.

Speaking on a recent episode of ‘Served with Andy Roddick’, former American star Andy Roddick addressed the growing speculation around Coco Gauff and her illness at the Madrid Open. He made it clear that there should be a firm distinction between reality and the narratives people create online.

“Online idiocy is sometimes undefeated. There are a lot of memes, which are great. There is a lot of value, but also what has Coco ever done to make us think that she is going to like grandstand on an injury,” Roddick echoed.

He continued by reinforcing her character and consistency under pressure, pointing out her track record across different situations. “All she does is show up in the best of times and the worst of times.”

Roddick then took the argument further, questioning the logic behind the accusations and dismantling the idea of any potential gain. “Like always. Someone physically vomiting into a bush, what does that get you? Let’s just say that she was faking it, let’s just entertain this psycho for a second, and I am glad Corey got in there.”

The conversation shifted to the reaction from Gauff’s father, Corey Gauff, who directly confronted critics on social media. After one comment accused Gauff of faking her illness, Corey responded sharply and without hesitation.

“I got time today. I guess you didn’t see her throwing up in the garbage with your egg head.” Roddick returned to his central argument by emphasizing that even in a hypothetical scenario, the accusations lacked any competitive logic.

“But what does it get Coco? All it does is show her opponent that she might be tired. It doesn’t do anything. Faking it doesn’t do anything,” Roddick said.

Despite battling illness while trying to defend the 650 ranking points she earned from last year’s final, Gauff chose not to retire, even as several high-profile players withdrew from the event.

The early rounds of the Madrid Open were heavily impacted by illness-related retirements and withdrawals, including Madison Keys, Liudmila Samsonova, and Marin Cilic.

French player Corentin Moutet also reported feeling unwell following his second-round loss. Meanwhile, former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova admitted she had been under the weather during her hard-fought 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (3) victory over 19th seed Elise Mertens.

The most notable retirement came from Iga Swiatek, who recorded only the second retirement of her career during her third-round match against Ann Li.

“There is something going on between players that the virus is somewhere on site, so I’m sure I’ll be fine in a couple of days, but I had zero energy and zero stability,” said Swiatek.

Such outbreaks are not uncommon at tournaments, where players frequently share close spaces, including locker rooms, dining areas, and training facilities.

Earlier rumors even linked the illnesses to shrimp tacos served in the player dining area, although players were later informed that a broader virus circulating in the city was the likely cause.

Through it all, Roddick’s defense of Gauff stood firm, reinforcing a pattern seen in previous moments where he has consistently backed her against criticism.

Andy Roddick backs Coco Gauff amid United Cup backlash

In the lead-up to the 2026 United Cup, Coco Gauff was asked whether she felt strong support from US fans during international events. She answered honestly and without hesitation, offering a perspective shaped by her experiences on tour.

“I’ll be honest, no,” said Gauff. “I feel like we’re definitely, in the tennis department, the worst when it comes to that. So I’ve always said I wish our country in other places would show up throughout the world as we see maybe smaller countries support.”

Her remarks quickly sparked backlash, as many fans took issue with the criticism and pointed out the high costs involved in traveling globally to support players. The reaction online grew intense, with several fans suggesting her expectations were unrealistic given the financial and logistical challenges.

Amid the criticism, Andy Roddick stepped in to defend her, arguing that her comments had been misunderstood. During an episode of his podcast, Roddick explained that her words were being interpreted in a way that missed the context entirely.

“Coco’s thing in Australia got taken completely out of context,” said Roddick. “Australia, you go to the grounds, you have the Serbians, the Croatians, these factions of fans that live there from other places. We just don’t have that,” he explained.

“So at the United Cup, you’re not going to get 1,000 Americans, that was what she was saying. She wasn’t talking about the macro version of US fandom for her; she was saying in this one event, in this three-day stretch, Poland gets more support,” he added.

Now, Gauff shifts her focus to the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, which begins on May 5, where she will aim to defend the 650 ranking points she earned as a finalist last year.