Andy Roddick makes feelings known on Iga Swiatek & her future amid form worries

Andy Roddick recently shared his thoughts regarding Iga Swiatek's future after a rough few months for the Pole. Swiatek is yet to win a title in 2025 and not too long ago, came under fire for a controversial incident involving a ball kid at this year's BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

Swiatek went into the 2025 BNP Paribas Open as the prestigious WTA 1000 event's defending champion. The Pole stormed her way into the semifinals without dropping a set. However, in the semis, teenage prodigy and eventual champion Mirra Andreeva stunned the five-time Major winner.

At one point during the loss to Mirra Andreeva, Iga Swiatek lost her cool and vented her frustration on a ball kid. Videos showed the ball kid tossing a ball in the direction of the Pole. A clearly livid Swiatek smashed the ball with her racket in the ball kid's direction. The ball narrowly missed the kid as it bounced right in front of him and went high up into the stands.

Unsurprisingly, Iga Swiatek faced plenty of criticism for her behavior and later issued a lengthy statement about the incident on social media. Recently, Andy Roddick, while assessing the 22 WTA Tour-level singles titlist's situation on the 'Served' podcast, said:

"Your biggest strength can be a weakness at some point. We've talked ad nauseam on this show about, Iga's superpower is, she shows up for practice, she treats it like a Grand Slam final, and that is a great thing. But it's hard to live the stress of a Grand Slam final every day, like there is some sort of payoff.

"I think we're seeing it with what she wrote and what she's been going through and you throw in the dismissed positive test, yeah, so the stress mechanism is ratcheting up. Her intensity is part of what has made her great," Roddick added, bringing up Swiatek testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) last year.

The former ATP No. 1 and 2003 US Open champion went on to defend Swiatek from her critics, comparing her singles Grand Slam title tally to that of former WTA icons Maria Sharapova, Ashleigh Barty, Kim Clijsters and Lindsay Davenport.

"She's already won as many Majors as Maria Sharapova, like, level set, never plays again in her life, they're the same, that's absurd. So we need to just always remember, her floor is two more Majors than Ash Barty. Her floor is one more Major than Kim Clijsters. Her floor is two more Majors than Lindsay Davenport," Roddick continued.

"But we just need to at least be conscious, while we're judging people in the moment again, of what they've already accomplished. She has the ability to get through it. She has done it," he added.

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Swiatek recently announced a significant decision she made ahead of this year's European claycourt swing.

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"This is not the information Polish fans wanted" - Iga Swiatek withdraws from Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers

Iga Swiatek (Source: Getty)

After a disappointing Miami Open exit following a shocking loss to surprise package Alexandra Eala, Iga Swiatek announced that she will not be representing Poland at the 2025 Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers. The Pole wrote on her Instagram Stories:

"I have made a difficult decision. I know that this is not the information that fans, especially Polish ones, wanted, nevertheless, it is the right decision for me for now. I will not play in the Billie Jean King Cup qualifying tournament, which will be held in Radom."

Iga Swiatek went on to disclose that her decision stemmed from her intent to work on herself and train well in the buildup to the European claycourt swing. The former No. 1's most impressive performances over the years have come on clay, particularly at the French Open. Swiatek will be heading into this year's edition of the claycourt Major at Roland Garros as the three-time defending champion.