Andy Roddick ‘loves’ the competitiveness of the ‘Big Four’ in women’s tennis

DUBAI – Former American tennis star Andy Roddick is unsure who among Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina is the best player on the WTA Tour, but says it is a good thing in terms of competitiveness.

The 2003 US Open champion believes the quartet, who make up the top four in the rankings respectively and have won seven of the last nine Grand Slam titles, will continue pushing one another at the highest level of women’s tennis.

Swiatek and Rybakina most recently clashed at the Qatar Open final on Feb 17, with the world No. 1 Pole winning the WTA 1000 title 7-6 (10-8), 6-2.

“I love what I’m seeing on the women’s Tour right now,” said Roddick on Feb 21.

“It’s like, you know, Gauff steps up at the US Open last year and then Swiatek steps up at the World Tour Finals. And I’m like, ‘Oh, she’s the best player’ and then, you know, Australia (Open) happens and Sabalenka pushes the the envelope again and gets through in dominant fashion, not losing a set.

“I feel like, we’re seeing this group of elite players, players that have won Slams already, really pushing each other and elevating their own product in real-time. And I’m here for it. I don’t know who’s best. I change my mind every week, but isn’t that fun?”

The “Big Four” are in the Dubai Tennis Championships field this week, also a WTA 1000 event.

Sabalenka, however,

crashed out early in the round of 32 on Feb 20

in her first match back since she won her second Australian Open title in January.

Rybakina, meanwhile, survived a strong challenge from qualifier Magdalena Frech on Feb 21, coming from 5-3 down in the first set to eventually win 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-4 and reach the quarter-finals.

The Kazakh has now made the last eight or better at five of six tournaments in 2024, with titles in Abu Dhabi and Brisbane – where she beat Sabalenka in the final. 

“I’d say it’s just the beginning of the year,” said Rybakina.

“Of course it’s a great start, but it’s not easy. Most important is to stay healthy. With every match it’s getting tougher and tougher physically. Really happy with the start of the year, hopefully I can continue like this. There’s no secret. I’m just trying to push myself every point.”

She will next take on Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, who upset Greek No. 8 seed Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-2.

By doing so, the 28-year-old has made it to the last eight in a WTA 1000 event for only the second time in her career.

She previously achieved it in Cincinnati in August 2023.

“This was one of my best matches of the year. I feel great, I’m satisfied with the tennis I’m playing and I really like playing here in Dubai,” said Paolini.

Third seed Gauff is also through to the quarter-finals after defeating Czech Karolina Pliskova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 on Feb 21.

The 19-year-old American will next face Russian Anna Kalinskaya, who beat Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko 6-4, 7-5.

Gauff was later joined in the last eight by top seed Swiatek, who ousted Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-1, 6-4.

In other news, towering Ivo Karlovic has announced his retirement from tennis at the age of 44, bringing the curtain down on a career that saw him fire more than 13,000 aces past bewildered opponents.

Standing at 2.11m, his huge serves and unorthodox style caused problems for some of the sport’s biggest names and he won three of his four meetings with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Having last played on tour at Indian Wells in 2021, and with his 45th birthday approaching on Feb 28, Karlovic confirmed his retirement to fans on social media.

“Some of you have noticed that it’s been a while since I played a tournament and still ask me on a daily basis if and when I’ll be returning to the Tour,” he wrote.

“I’m sorry to disappoint, but with this letter, I want to make it official and finally announce my retirement.”

The Croat – whose best men’s singles result at a Grand Slam was at the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2009 – will be remembered by fans for his 13,728 aces.

That tally is second only to American John Isner’s 14,470 service winners. REUTERS