Andy Roddick notes 'anti-Coco Gauff' style of two Wimbledon stars
Andy Roddick has praised the playing styles of Czech pair Barbora Krejíková and Markéta Vondroušová ahead of Wimbledon
Andy Roddick believes Barbora Krejcikova and Marketa Vondrousova could be names to watch out for when Wimbledon gets underway, with him branding their styles as "anti-Coco Gauff."
The Czech pair toasted Wimbledon success in back-to-back years, with Krejcikova winning the major in 2023, whilst Vondrousova did so last year when she beat Jasmine Paolini. Meanwhile, Gauff celebrated the second major win of her career earlier this month when she came from a set down to beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-4 at the French Open.
While the 21-year-old has never made it past the fourth round at SW19, Gauff will need to be at her best to make a deep run when Wimbledon begins.
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However, if Gauff wants to add a third major to her collection at Wimbledon, which would also mean she only needs to win the Australian Open to claim a career Grand Slam, she will need to be wary of Krejcikova and Vondrousova, the last two winners at SW19.
Speaking on his podcast, 'Served with Andy Roddick', the former US Open winner praised the Czech pair, adding if they can "level up," they could pose a serious threat to the likes of Gauff and Sabalenka.
"You mention the flat ball, she hits that little Rafa hook shot lefty to get out of trouble also, and it kind of works on grass because it’s tailing away," said Roddick, speaking about Vondrousova's game.
"But the other thing that Vondrousova has is her game is so unique with the way she serves and kind of plays inside-out lefty, which isn’t something that you’re used to.
"She has a game where - she kind of, not dissimilar, not the same type of style - but the same type of game where, if Krejcikova finds it, she’s not scared to play the top players. Something about their games translates to, ‘Okay, when I’m not confident, I can lose to players that are below me.’ It’s not that kind of grinded-out game where you know we’re going to play.
“It’s like the anti-Coco Gauff. She finds a way through matches early in tournaments, but if they find it, they match up well against the top players. And that's a big if."
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Roddick then also compared the Czech duo to Swiss tennis player Stan Wawrinka, a three-time major winner capable of beating anyone on his day. Wawrinka won the Australian Open in 2014, the French Open in 2015, and the U.S. Open in 2016, defeating Rafael Nadal down under before beating Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros and Flushing Meadows.
"It's like Stan Wawrinka," added Roddick of Vondrousova and Krejcikova.
"He wasn't [Andy] Murray as far as consistency, but when he finds his top level, he took the racket out of Novak's [Djokovic] hand twice in Grand Slam finals. I didn't have that gear. I was going to beat every person ranked 25 to 70. And I was going to find a way through it, but I didn't have the ability to level up when I had to.
"Vondrousova and Krejcikova, when they level up, I don't know. I value them really well against the top five players."
