“Some people are better on different surfaces” – Andy Roddick comes to Iga Swiatek’s defense after Polish star fails to win hard court major
Former World No. 1 Iga Swiatek has faced criticism for her struggles to secure another Grand Slam title on hard courts, with some doubting her ability to dominate outside of the French Open. However, retired American tennis pro Andy Roddick has come to her defense, pushing back against those who question Swiatek’s hard-court potential.
Swiatek enjoyed a strong run at the 2025 Australian Open, breezing through the early rounds before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Madison Keys. Despite this setback, Roddick remains confident in the Polish star’s future success on hard courts.
Speaking on his Served With Andy Roddick podcast, the 2003 US Open champion dismissed the criticism, reminding detractors that Swiatek is still young and has already proven her talent. “I don’t wanna hear your chirping about clay versus hard versus anything else,” Roddick said. “Iga is gonna win a handful of Grand Slams on surfaces that aren’t clay. She just will, she’s 23.”
Roddick highlighted Swiatek’s impressive record at the French Open, where she has won four of her five Grand Slam titles, and also noted her victory at the 2022 US Open on hard courts. He urged critics to appreciate the challenges of mastering different surfaces and emphasized that her Grand Slam titles are no less significant because of her dominance on clay.
“Everyone’s better on one surface. It doesn’t mean that the Grand Slams count any less,” Roddick added. “And just because she’s not as good on a hard court as she is on clay doesn’t mean she isn’t good on hard courts. Where does that leave her on the all-time count? Save it. Some people are better on different surfaces.”
Swiatek, who is still only 23, has time on her side as she continues to pursue success across all surfaces, and Roddick believes she will undoubtedly add more hard-court titles to her resume in the years to come.
