"Coco Gauff steals your space, then your time" - Andrea Petkovic explains how American made Aryna Sabalenka 'panic' in French Open final

Andrea Petkovic offered deep insight into Coco Gauff’s playing style following her win over Aryna Sabalenka in the 2025 French Open final. Gauff, who clinched her second career Grand Slam title in Paris, defeated Sabalenka in three sets.

Petkovic described the contrast between Gauff’s strategic defense and Sabalenka’s aggressive approach.

"Two differing game styles collided," she wrote in her Substack. "Players with an aggressive mindset (like Aryna) value winners hit more than unforced errors gained... For Coco, an unforced error from the opponent is just as much confirmation for doing things right as a down-the-line shot nobody can reach."

In her analysis, Petkovic highlighted how the 21-year-old American overwhelms her opponents not with flashy winners but with pressure that builds point by point. Gauff's ability to rush opponents into errors, limit their court space, and force a shift in rhythm makes her game mentally exhausting for opponents. This leads to risky decisions and unforced mistakes.

"Her biggest strength is the fact that she recognises short balls quicker than anybody else and is up onto them within a fraction of a second. Even if she doesn’t hit a winner right off the bat, she takes time away from you, and over the course of a match puts the subliminal notion in your mind that you’re not allowed to drop anything short."

In the final stages of the match, Petkovic noted:

"The panic on Sabalenka’s face was caused by stress... The smaller the court on the other side got, the higher the stress levels felt for Aryna… And that’s how Coco wins matches and titles. First she steals your space, then she steals your time."

Petkovic called Gauff a "two-time major champion" and praised her leather jacket look, a nod to her cool and confident appearance in Paris.

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How Coco Gauff's clay season culminated in an emphatic French Open final win over Aryna Sabalenka

Coco Gauff with the French Open trophy - Source: Getty

Coco Gauff’s 2025 clay season had already been impressive, but it reached a whole new level with her title run at the French Open. The American came into Roland Garros with strong momentum, having reached back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome.

In Madrid, she was overpowered by Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, and despite a spirited effort in Rome, she fell just short again, finishing runner-up to Jasmine Paolini.

Yet, instead of backing down, Coco Gauff grew stronger with each setback. At the French Open, she was locked in from the start. She battled through tough draws, beating Madison Keys in the quarterfinals and rising sensation Lois Boisson in the semis to reach her second career final in Paris.

After losing the first set in the final against Sabalenka, Gauff regrouped. Her mental strength shone through as she stayed composed while the Belarusian grew increasingly frustrated. The match flipped in Gauff’s favor, and she stormed back to win 6-7, 6-2, 6-4.

It marked her second Grand Slam title, both of which came by beating Sabalenka in the final, first at the 2023 US Open, and now at Roland Garros.