Andy Roddick highlights Aryna Sabalenka skill he didn’t have amid Serena Williams comparison

Aryna Sabalenka’s upward push to greatness is continuing, and with it comes some lofty comparisons.

The Belarusian added her third Gigantic Slam title at the US Open with victory over Jessica Pegula, making it two titles in 2024 after starting the year with triumph in Australia.

Of all active feminine gamers, only Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka have received more Slams than Sabalenka, who showed another key reason why they needs to be taking a gape over their shoulders.

The 26-year-historic received the first set of residing of her final 7-5, and after going 3-0 up in the second she collapsed with a string of errors.

Pegula smelt blood and assailed to a 5-3 lead in front of her dwelling followers, nonetheless Sabalenka aloof managed to obtain things accomplished for a 7-5 get and straight-set of residing victory.

Remarking on that feat, fellow US Open winner Andy Roddick changed into corpulent of praise for tennis’ most up-to-date neatly-known particular person.

“To grasp shooting your shot even after lacking 17 balls in the closing 12 minutes is a skill that I didn’t have,” he acknowledged. 

“If I’m lacking, I’m shedding confidence. The manner you choose to going help there, deleting all the stress and going and shooting as soon as more is crazy.”

Kim Clijsters then followed up with the highest of praise in tennis circles, together with: “Upright tackle Serena [Williams], she has the skill to step up when wished.”

Praise does no longer obtain mighty higher than Williams, who received a complete of 23 Gigantic Slams precise thru three decades, ending the year as world no.1 on 5 occasions.

Discussing how Sabalenka has made it to the very top of sport, Roddick changed into fervent to compare her to more tennis greats, and prove why he wished he is in general a exiguous more tackle her.

He persevered: “There are so many varied ways to obtain to greatness. I consistently consume the instance, what if someone tried to coach the volley methodology out of [John] McEnroe? What if someone tried to coach the Vamos enact from Rafa [Nadal]? 

“What if someone coached those things out of them because they weren’t favorite at the time? What if someone coached out the skill to manufacture friction for Novak [Djokovic]? You have to make your mind up to who you are and obtain your most efficient task, it’s no longer one-dimension fits all.

“Explore at Roger [Federer], Rafa, Novak, Serena. It’s likely you’ll presumably well no longer have four more utterly different personalities.

“With Sabalenka, I adore the utterly different task. And hers appears to be like fun. And she dives in afterwards and has a smile. 

“It’s like she’s down for a joke but also committed to improvement, it seems like she has a great balance.

“I desire I had a exiguous more Sabalenka.”