Roddick: If I Had been Iga Swiatek, I'd Say Screw You

By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, Might 28, 2025
Photograph credit score: Mateo Villalba/Getty

Andy Roddick is not a physician, however the former No. 1 can detect dysfunction. 

In terms of reigning Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek, Roddick says the tennis world is affected by collective amnesia.

Chatting with to Betway Sports activities for its Roland Garros preview, Roddick says these writing off Swiatek are forgetting she’s received 4 French Open championships prior to now 5 years, owns a 23-match profitable streak on the match and is motivated chasing historical past and an Open Period report fourth consecutive Roland Garros crown.

Corridor of Famer Roddick stated if he had been Swiatek, he’d be so irritated by some marginalizing her possibilities, he’d say: Screw you to skeptics.

“If Iga will get to the quarters or semis, she’s going to have a chip on her shoulder,” Roddick instructed Betway. “Individuals are forgetting about her actually rapidly.

“If I had received 4 of the final 5 French Opens, I’d really feel like, “screw you guys.”

Although Swiatek has not reached a remaining since pounding Jasmine Paolini within the 2024 Roland Garros remaining, she’s surrendered simply 9 video games in two tournamenet wins. Swiatek shredded former US Open champion Emma Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 within the second spherical at present.

If seeds maintain true to type, Swiatek would face a stiff take a look at within the spherical of 16 towards both Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina or the Pole’s private nemesis, 2017 Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko, who owns an astounding 6-0 lifetime report vs. Swiatek.

Nonetheless, Roddick believes Swiatek will develop sharper and extra assured as she progresses in Paris.

“I feel persons are fully underestimating Iga Swiatek,” Roddick stated. “She’s getting judged towards her personal shadow proper now, which is immense, however she nonetheless made the semis in Madrid and Australia. It’s not as if she hadn’t performed any good tennis.

“I really weirdly assume {that a} powerful draw will get her dialled in. She’s by no means misplaced a Grand Slam remaining – when she will get to the tail finish of Grand Slams, she’s excellent at closing.

“I nonetheless assume Sabalenka might be the favourite going into any match she enters proper now, however I wouldn’t look previous Iga.”

Whereas Roddick charges world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka as clear favourite to win a maiden Roland Garros title, if she falters he believes the lady who knocked Sabalenka out of Paris final yr, Indian Wells champion Mirra Andreeva, might make a title run.

“Mirra Andreeva might additionally go all the best way, there’s little question, and she or he beat Sabalenka on the French Open final yr,” Roddick stated. “To me it’s when, not if, with Andreeva. She’ll win a Slam in a short time within the subsequent 18 months. Is it going to be on clay at this one?

“It’s powerful as a result of it’s so match-up primarily based, and she or he’s 0-4 or 0-5 towards Coco Gauff—who she might meet within the semis – and I belief the match-ups typically.

“However if you happen to needed to look good and simply say Andreeva goes to win going into every of the following 4, 5 or 6 Slams, then you definitely’re going to be good a kind of occasions.”