Andy Roddick- “It’s a Serena Williams That I Wish Everyone Would Know”

Like she says, “being Serena, is being confident” and the American legend flawlessly adheres to it. This year at Flushing Meadows, Serena Williams will be completing a two-decade-old service on the WTA circuit and she continues to practice her supremacy in the tennis world. In a recent interview with The Tennis Podcast, the last American to win a Grand Slam title on the ATP singles circuit, Andy Roddick shared his insights about Serena Williams.

The World Number eleven, Serena Williams is just one Slam away from tying-up her major tally with Margeret Court, who owns the highest number of Grand Slam titles in the Open Era. The American, Andy Roddick is certainly assured out Serena Williams pulling off her next major title and round off her major-roll to a perfect double-dozen.

“I think she will. Just because I know how damn stubborn she is,” Roddick mentioned. “I know that she wants it. She is not used to not getting her win. She normally exhausts every possible thing to make sure that happens. Now, it doesn’t get easier. I don’t think it’s easy. For 20 years the conversation has been, ‘If Serena plays great she’s going to win’.”

He does feel its strenuous job for her to add another Slam beside her name as he continued to address, “she felt that she is so close. It not easy. The beauty of the sport is that nothing is given, there’s no script. That’s the beauty of sports, it’s harder every day. I think, she will get there. There’s a certain beauty, it can’t happen right away”.

“She assures that greediness, assures how she wants to get back. She will get there. She needs to be looking at the French Open cup.” He also hopes Serena Williams to outperform the other women on the circuit during the Wimbledon 2019.

He talked about her last year’s journey to the finals at SW19, where she collected a streak of 20 continuous matches won on the Wimbledon turf. “She had zero match points, zero confidence and stilled she pulled a rabbit out of a hat,” Andy Roddick continued.

Later, the 2003 U.S. Open champion uttered his perception on the controversial major final which was held at Flushing Meadows last year. “I think the official was probably a little embarrassed. I think there was maybe some ego which probably could have been handled differently. I don’t think anyone was right, I think everybody was wrong.”

“The criticism that I have of Serena like she is a dear friend of mine if she was almost called I won’t change what I have to say. I was pretty crazy on the court, I have done worse. But, I don’t think I have done worse when I already had a point penalty. So, I think situational, emotional management matters. Especially, in a match I like that I wouldn’t do anything and leave it to the umpire,” Andy Roddick added. He perceives the match lacked sportsmanlike conduct.

Serena Williams hasn’t really discussed the U.S. Open altercation with Andy Roddick in person. He believes that Serena Williams doesn’t consider looking back and her focus is elsewhere. “She has certainly given us enough great moments. We like her and respect her because of what she does on the court. I’m sure in time she will talk about it, certainly she doesn’t have to and her focus is forward not looking backward,” he said.

Later, Andy Roddick revealed the off-court side of Serena Williams and how she is as an individual besides her tennis. “It’s a Serena that I wish everyone would know. She hangs out, laughs and jokes, and there are no walls up. She is easygoing. She has great sense of humour, talks about normal stuff like everyone else has to talk about. She feels comfortable. I guess more people get to see that side of her.”