As the 2025 tennis season progressed, Iga Swiatek steadily returned to winning form, breaking her title drought and reinforcing her position as the player to beat. Her campaign reached its high point with a remarkable achievement: a victory at Wimbledon, the prestigious Grand Slam title that had long appeared unattainable. This triumph, was a significant benchmark for player who never considered grass her strong suit.

Now, as the tour shifts its focus to the hard courts of Australia, discussions have inevitably gravitated towards her prospects for 2026 and what new ground she may tread. Its a subject that former World No. 1 Andy Roddick also recently addressed.

In a recent episode of his widely followed podcast, Served with Andy Roddick, the American tennis icon offered an essential evaluation of Swiatek’s prospects for the upcoming Australian Open.”She’s always one of the favorites,” Roddick stated.

He was quick to dismiss any notion that her season began poorly, noting, “She played great in Australia this year. It’s not as if she started the year badly. I mean, she played great.”

Roddick subsequently referenced the 2025 Australian Open, where the Polish player faced defeat against Madison Keys with a final score of 5-7, 6-1, 7-6, remarking, “And Maddie just is one of the few people on earth who can take the racket out of your hand with serve and forehand. But she played great.”

“I’ll take it one further. Insert her name, and then say any tournament you want to talk about,” he said, giving the Pole a strong vote of confidence. But looking at the evolution Swiatek experienced in 2025, it’s no surprise that Roddick was so confident in his predictions for Swiatek.

Iga Swiatek made a literal U-turn midst of the tennis season

The season was marked by its challenges; earlier in the year, Iga Swiatek’s performance revealed vulnerabilities, especially in her previously dependable forehand. Coaches and observers remarked on a phase during which she “wasn’t herself,” prompting challenging yet essential discussions among her teammates.

The crucial moment, as outlined by her performance psychologist Daria Abramowicz, occurred in the interval between the tournaments in Rome and Paris.

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The team engaged in what they described as “a few difficult conversations,” during which they conveyed some hard truths regarding Swiatek’s attitude and mindset. The champion’s reaction was surprising.

“She can listen to the tough stuff, and she embraces it,” Abramowicz remarked, underscoring Iga Swiatek’s maturity. The outcomes?

The technical prowess and mental toughness came together in a remarkable Wimbledon triumph against Amanda Anisimova (6-0, 6-0), a milestone that compelled Swiatek to confront and overcome one of her own self-imposed limitations, as she had previously accepted that a Wimbledon victory was beyond her reach.