Google News Andy Roddick explains why Emma Raducanu is ‘good matchup’ for Serena Williams
by DZEVAD MESIC | VIEW 5374
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick thinks Emma Raducanu is a good matchup for Serena Williams ahead of the American’s final tournament in New York. Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion, is set to compete in Cincinnati next week before she heads to New York for the Us Open.
In the Cincinnati first round, Williams has been drawn to face 2021 US Open champion Raducanu. “This is actually a good matchup for Serena, needing to kind of get those reps going in to New York. She’s gonna get a lot of balls to hit, she’s gonna get a look at her serve.
It’s not gonna blow her off the court. It’s going to be kind of a pressure mechanism,” Roddick said on Tennis Channel, per Sportskeeda.
Roddick on Williams’ Toronto run
In the Toronto first round, Williams defeated Nuria Parrizas Diaz in the first round.
After beating Parrizas Diaz, Williams stumbled upon Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Belinda Bencic. Bencic, who is currently the 12th-ranked player in the world, defeated Williams 6-2 6-4. In the first set, Bencic broke Williams to comfortable win the first set.
Williams put up a better effort in the second set but Bencic managed to get one break of serve and that was enough. “I actually thought Serena was hitting the ball pretty well against Belinda Bencic, I know she lost and the score-line was pretty straight forward.
I think the fact that she’ll have a little bit more time against Raducanu. Raducanu is not gonna come out and hit flat inside the court, switch directions like Bencic was (doing) and kind of bully Serena’s movement,’’ Roddick reflected.
After beating Williams, Bencic said it was extremely difficult to play Williams because the whole stadium was on the American’s side. When Williams steps onto the court in Cincinnati and New York, it’s a guarantee that the whole stadium will be rooting for her.