Andy Roddick recently criticized the odds of winning the women’s singles titles at the upcoming Wimbledon Championships. Based on the odds, reigning WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is the favorite, followed by Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Mirra Andreeva, Madison Keys and Karolina Muchova.
On Monday, June 16, the former ATP No. 1 and 2003 US Open champion featured on a Tennis Channel segment focusing on the favorites for the women’s singles title at this year’s edition of the grass Major. Here, he wondered why Gauff is among the favorites, considering the vulnerabilities in her game on grass. Roddick aired his take despite Gauff’s recent title triumph at the 2025 French Open.
“She’s confident coming off of Roland Garros. Listen, the book on Coco hasn’t changed because she’s won Roland Garros. She’s so good at what she does, but the entry point to the forehand with pace is still going to be the thing that people try to do against her consistently. The easiest surface to do that on, in my opinion, against her, is on grass,” Roddick said.
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The 42-year-old went on to blatantly question the odds over the exclusion of last year's finalists, winner Barbora Krejcikova and runner-up Jasmine Paolini. Roddick also suggested compatriot Jessica Pegula could be a force to be reckoned with.
"But these odds... like, what the hell are we doing? We have no Paolini, no Krejcikova. We've just deleted last year's final. Jess Pegula can be an absolute monster on grass with her shot and the way that it kind of goes to the corner and her ability to switch directions... we need to review those," Andy Roddick added.
Last year, Roddick had questioned the lack of big tournaments in the buildup to the Wimbledon Championships.
"Grass needs to be grown" - Andy Roddick's 2024 opinion on the lack of prestigious events ahead of the Wimbledon Championships
Speaking to Tennis Channel last year, Andy Roddick criticized the annual grass court swing for being too 'rushed'. The American compared the Wimbledon Championships to the French Open, highlighting how there are multiple big tournaments in the buildup to Roland Garros every year but no similar events ahead of the grass Major. According to Roddick, this does a great disservice to players who thrive on grass.
"There are three Masters 1000s going into Roland Garros spread out over the course of six weeks. You can play seven or eight weeks of clay court tennis leading into Roland Garros, and then our biggest, most prestigious event, we rush everything," Roddick said.
"I just don't understand it. Obviously, grass needs to be grown. It's a sensitive surface, but just on merit, it needs to be fair on different playing styles. I think grass court specialists have been underserved for a long time," he added.
Andy Roddick reached three men's singles finals at the Wimbledon Championships in his prime (2004, 2005 and 2009), losing to the legendary Roger Federer on all three occasions.
