Coco Gauff is heading into Roland Garros with a sharp sense of unfinished business. “That would be a goal to win this tournament just because I did make the final. So I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business there,” she told Roland Garros in an exclusive interview on May 12. The memory of her 2022 final loss to Iga Swiatek still lingers—not as a burden, but as a motivator. Gauff, now ranked World No. 2, is not just trying to prove herself as a top player on clay—she’s trying to complete a story she believes is still being written.

Her 2025 clay season has reflected that urgency. In Madrid, she fought her way to the semifinals, pushing top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka but falling in straight sets. A week later in Rome, she made a deeper run, reaching the final after surviving a scrappy, error-strewn semifinal against Zheng Qinwen. But once again, the title slipped away—this time against Jasmine Paolini, in a match where Gauff’s 55 unforced errors overshadowed her otherwise solid court coverage and athleticism.

Still, there’s no denying her trajectory on the surface. Since her French Open debut in 2020, Gauff has steadily improved: reaching the quarterfinals in 2021, the final in 2022, and now, in 2024, clinching the women’s doubles crown alongside Katerina Siniakova. Her singles game is knocking on the door—but something seems to be holding it back. It’s not just the opponents across the net. It’s also about how she plays the points she already controls. And that’s where Venus Williams steps in—not as a critic, but as someone who’s lived the grind of Grand Slam tennis for decades, and has words of wisdom to fine tune Coco.

During TNT’s live coverage from France, tennis legend Venus Williams reflected on the unpredictable nature of clay-court tennis, sharing insights on the unique challenges players face. “The funny thing is that anything can happen out there. That’s why they play the match and especially on the clay. And we were just talking about the conditions we played under, where it would get dark. Now they have lights out here so you can keep playing until infinity, but it’s hard on the body, and the court can get heavy. All these things can happen. So you don’t know who’s going to win,” she said.

Venus also added passionately about supporting fellow Americans on tour. “Of course. Big fan of the Americans. I always watch the Americans, always rooting for them,” she said. And let’s just say, the American contingent needs all the support they can get because it has already suffered a few upsets in France. Last year’s U.S. Open runner-up, Taylor Fritz, had to bow out of the tournament thanks to a 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 loss at the hands of world No. 66 Daniel Altmaier in the 1st round. Meanwhile, as far as WTA stars are concerned, No. 9 seed Emma Navarro couldn’t even last an hour as she was defeated by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in two sets.

However, despite all this, Williams’ love for Coco Gauff remains intact. “Coco, I’m a huge fan. I love her passion. I think sometimes, though, she’s just too hard on herself. I think she’s got to just let go and allow herself to do what she can do. She has such big expectations of herself, so I’d love to see her win here. She’s come close. I know she wants to win,” Williams added. But wait. What was Venus doing at the TNT Broadcast at Roland Garros?

Just weeks ago, Venus revealed a new chapter in her tennis career: joining TNT Sports as a commentator for the 2025 Roland Garros. Sharing the news online, the 44-year-old tweeted, “I’m excited to join @tntsports as a commentator for @rolandgarros, alongside this incredible roster of athletes! Stay tuned for our coverage to start on Sunday, May 25. #RolandGarros 🎾” The announcement, also posted to her IG Stories, thrilled fans around the world.

And now, while Venus lends her expertise from the commentary booth, Coco Gauff continues to chase her 1st French Open title, recently revealing her top five picks for the tournament, keeping fans guessing whether this could finally be her moment.

Coco Gauff predicts the top contenders for the French Open 2025

Coco Gauff is embracing a sense of liberté ahead of her 1st match at the 2025 French Open. The 21-year-old from Delray Beach, Florida, is entering the tournament with confidence after a 2024 full of career milestones, her first WTA Finals title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, her 1st doubles Grand Slam, and the honor of carrying the US flag at the Olympics. With momentum on her side, Gauff is enjoying a relatively pressure-free return to Roland Garros.

As her clay-court campaign begins shortly, Gauff weighed in on this year’s title contenders. “Obviously, I hope I’m up there, but there’s Jasmine [Paolini], Aryna [Sabalenka], Iga [Swiatek], Qinwen [Zheng], Mirra [Andreeva], there are more I can name that all have the opportunity,” said Gauff. “Who knows, we’ve all seen things like the US Open when Emma [Raducanu] won, so literally anybody can win this tournament. I think that’s what makes women’s tennis exciting,” she later added.

Ranked as the 2nd seed, Gauff will face unseeded Australian Olivia Gadecki in the 1st round on Tuesday. The two players have never met on the WTA Tour, adding intrigue to their upcoming clash.

As the American star steps onto Court Philippe-Chatrier, all eyes will be on whether she can continue her excellent form on clay. Will Coco start strong and build toward the title, or is there a twist waiting? Stay tuned with us for the latest update, right here!