Andy Roddick names player who ‘can bother’ likes of Sabalenka, Swiatek, Gauff and ‘win a Slam next year’
The likes of Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff are expected to dominate the Grand Slams again in 2026, but Andy Roddick believes there is one player who is yet to win a major that could challenge for one of the biggest titles next year.
The 2025 Grand Slams were shared between four players with Madison Keys winning the Australian Open, Gauff won the French Open, Swiatek took the crown at Wimbledon title while Sabalenka lifted the trophy at the US Open.
Elena Rybakina won the other big title this season as she was crowned champion at the WTA Finals, beating the likes of Swiatek and Sabalenka en route to winning the tournament undefeated. Meanwhile, Amanda Anisimova was the other challenger at the Grand Slams as she finished runner-up at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Those players will no doubt again be there or thereabouts when it comes to the majors next year with Sabalenka finishing as the year-end No 1 with Swiatek second, Gauff third, Anisimova fourth and Rybakina fifth.
But former world No 1 Roddick has added another name to the list as he is backing Karolina Muchova to fulfil her potential.
Speaking on his Served with Roddick podcast, the American said: “Karolina Muchova. She is an amazing player. The only thing separating her from the top five is health.
“She can bother everyone. I think she is on my top five list of people who could win a Slam next year.”
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Muchova has an excellent record at the Grand Slams as she finished runner-up to Swiatek at the 2023 French Open, losing in three sets, while she has twice reached the semi-final of the US Open and once at the Australian Open.
As for Wimbledon, the Czech reached the quarter-finals and 2019 and 2021, but has failed to reach the second round the last four campaigns.
Muchova has peaked at No 8 in the WTA Rankings as she reached the top 10 after her Roland Garros run in 2023, but her season came to a premature end due to a wrist problem.
The injury was a lot more serious than initially feared and she was forced to miss the Australian Open and French Open last year, which resulted in her slipping out of the top 50.
But she made steady at the backend of 2024 and continued that progress in 2025 as she finsihed the year at No 19.
