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Andy Roddick recently expressed his views on Iga Swiatek and Amanda Anisimova's Wimbledon final encounter on Saturday (July 12). The 2003 US Open champion pointed out that the Pole's aggression from the baseline will likely make it a tough outing for the American.
Swiatek had struggled in the first six months of the year to meet her lofty standards, failing to reach a singles final on the WTA Tour. The 24-year-old has made plenty of amends at this year's Wimbledon, though. She has dropped just one set en route to the title match at SW19 and will take an unassailable 5-0 win/loss record in Major finals against first-time finalist Anisimova.
Amanda Anisimova, meanwhile, has played some gutsy tennis at the All England Club this fortnight. The 13th seed put together her best tournament performance against top-seed Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals on Thursday, eking out a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 win over the Belarusian. That said, while the 23-year-old is currently in red-hot form, Andy Roddick believes that there is a considerable chance that it will not be enough against Iga Swiatek.
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Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, 'Served With Andy Roddick', the former World No. 1 claimed that Swiatek plays a different brand of tennis to that of Sabalenka's, meaning Anisimova will have to dig deeper to beat the eighth-seeded Pole for a prospective maiden Major triumph.
"I think Iga Swiatek has to be the favorite, but Anisimova has just been stepping up, has been so fun to watch. She has to serve well again, and she has to get the first strike. If she gets moving... Sabalenka's power is different, she can't take it inside the court. But Swiatek is more like a mosquito, right?" Andy Roddick said on his podcast earlier this week.
"She's all on you quicker than a bee who circles you and the bite is harder. Iga is just taking time away, she's seeing the ball quicker than everyone else and making decisions at lightning speed. I mean, she's beaten really, really good players badly," she added.
During the segment, Roddick also touched upon Swiatek's struggles earlier this year regarding her mindset.
"We talk about Iga Swiatek a lot" - Andy Roddick on discourse surrounding Pole's mentality
Iga Swiatek had endured a tough time on the WTA Tour over the last few months as she was, by her own admission, mentally shaken from her doping saga. Andy Roddick was cognizant of the five-time Major's recent struggles but conceded in the same breath that she is still the firm favorite to pick up the title at Wimbledon later this week.
"We'll see what happens with the nerves. We talk about Iga a lot, 'Does she get tight?'" Roddick said. "You can see the stressors mentally on her. Guys, she has never lost a Grand Slam final so for her it's like, someone people who can celebrate being mentally tough."
Swiatek will be eager to secure a triumph in London, considering it will help her in achieving a rather rare feat: winning at least one title on each surface. The Pole has monopolized the French Open by winning the 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024 editions of the tournament. Outside clay, her lone career hardcourt Major triumph came at the 2022 US Open.
