Andy Roddick’s Wimbledon Women's Round-Up: “I still think the top-4 are the best players and they’ll be consistently week after week”

Wednesday, 17 July 2024 at 00:11

Andy Roddick analyzed what happened in the women's draw at Wimbledon and the form of the top 4. The former world No. 1 explained why the circumstances favored Barbora Krejcikova to win the title, although he maintained that Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina are a step above the rest.

The 2003 US Open champion discussed the 'chaos' at Wimbledon on his podcast, caused by weather conditions that led to match suspensions and indoor play, altering the playing conditions. Roddick also praised Krejcikova's excellent level and asserted that she has already secured a place in the Hall of Fame.

Roddick analyzed the reasons that made Wimbledon a tournament full of surprises on the women's side. One of the main factors was the surface conditions and how many top players fluctuate significantly depending on the surface they play on.

"I think the field from, you know, five to thirty in the rankings or Krejcikova at 31, there are a lot of players. There are ten, twelve that are very fluent on this surface where they say, 'Okay, this is probably my favorite surface,'" the former world No. 1 said. "I'm thinking, you know, Ostapenko, I'm thinking Krejcikova obviously very fluent, Raducanu likes the surface maybe more than any other surface, even including Vekic, the same thing."

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Roddick commented that Sabalenka's last-minute withdrawal opened up possibilities in the draw. The Belarusian withdrew from the tournament due to a shoulder injury: "Your odds-on favorite based on game and form pulls out on Saturday before the tournament, citing a shoulder injury late on Friday, basically to emphasize its seriousness. Saturday she withdraws, which blows open the field as well. Someone fills her spot, but the draw is already kind of messed up a little bit."

"Rybakina is there and it's weird whenever anyone kind of shifted into that favorite once, you know, Swiatek loses, Sabalenka is out, all of a sudden we're going well don't bet against Coco, here she comes. Navaro beats her and then we're going okay Navaro and then Navaro loses one and two."

"It's just like it was bananas trying to base anything on form on record," Andy Roddick said. "Shortening the grasscourt season makes it really hard to decipher who's real and who's not based on form coming into the surface."

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"They essentially played two different tournaments in this event. The first week felt like an indoor tournament for many showcase matches, which was very different: a ball striker's paradise. Then suddenly, you introduce a bit of air and wind, and the dynamics change—movement becomes different, and it's much more slippery indoors. Essentially, it was like playing on two completely different surfaces: indoor grass versus outdoor grass."

"So I think this was like the perfect scenario for chaos on this side of the draw," the former world No. 1 stated. "And I guess it takes someone like Krejcikova, who is a known entity and won't get freaked out by being in the round of 16, quarterfinals, semis, or final of a Grand Slam, as she has been there before. At scale, I still think the top four, the big four, the best players are still the best players and they will be consistently week in and week out."

Barbora Krejcikova with the Venus Rosewater Dish at Wimbledon.

The American also showered praise on Krejcikova as a player capable of adapting to all types of playing conditions and possessing the mental strength to perform in the final stages of tournaments: “You're not going to put Krejcikova on any surface and have her say, "I have no idea what to do on this surface,"' Roddick added. 'Obviously, the person who can handle different scenarios, surfaces, and opponents in a chaotic world will be poised for success.'"

“Krejcikova’s journey is probably going to end in Newport at the Hall of Fame. It will end in Newport in in the Hall of Fame someday when she's done. Obviously two majors career had ranking number two uh a bunch of doubles titles right Grand Slam she's won Wimbledon twice in doubles those factors lead up to a a Hall of Fame resume so let me be the first to congratulate you on getting into the Hall of Fame because I truly with all of my soul believe, that will happen”

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“I think for the rest of the year it's going to be very exciting I don't know that anyone with any sort of certainty can say this is exactly how it's going to play out um but that's what makes it fun,” Roddick concluded.

Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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