SUMMARY
- Andy Roddick defends Sabalenka lauding her journey to a second Grand Slam at the 2024 Australian Open.
- Roddick slams critics who labeled Sabalenka as a "one-slam wonder" recognizing her flawless title defense.
In the aftermath of Aryna Sabalenka’s victorious campaign at the 2024 Australian Open, tennis legend Andy Roddick didn’t hold back on his podcast, “Served with Andy Roddick.” He addressed the skeptics who once doubted the Belarusian’s abilities as a one-slam wonder.
Roddick passionately praised Sabalenka’s journey from facing challenges on her serve to clinching her second Grand Slam singles title. Andy Roddick, in the inaugural episode of his podcast, lauded Sabalenka’s remarkable performance at the Melbourne Major, emphasizing her flawless title defense without dropping a single set. He expressed his admiration, stating, “I want to give her so much props.”
Challenging the prevailing perception, Roddick addressed the tendency to dismiss Sabalenka as a one-slam wonder. Highlighting Sabalenka’s resilience and commitment, Roddick recounted her offseason efforts to overcome serving challenges. He acknowledged the doubts surrounding her game, stating, “All of us had doubts.”
Roddick pointed out the rarity of Sabalenka’s achievement, particularly in conquering mental hurdles, which had often been pointed out by the tennis community. He compared her progress to other players’ struggles early in the 2024 season, saying, “We haven’t had that thing from Sabalenka.”
Roddick urged critics to reassess their stance, declaring, “And so to get over those mental hurdles to become what she’s become, all of us that criticized her, need to eat poop right now.” He attributed Sabalenka’s success to her unwavering mental fortitude and dedicated work ethic, dismissing any notion that her achievements were accidental—neither her first nor her second Australian Open triumph.
Aryna Sabalenka expresses relief at overcoming ‘one-slam wonder’ label
Aryna Sabalenka, 25, recently secured her second Grand Slam trophy at the 2024 Australian Open, successfully defending the title she won last year. Reflecting on the label of being a “one-slam wonder” she was given last year, Sabalenka expressed feelings of sadness about such categorization.
Having fulfilled her dream of becoming a Grand Slam champion at the 2023 Australian Open, Sabalenka faced subsequent strong performances in other Grand Slam events, reaching the final of the US Open and the semifinals at both the French Open and Wimbledon in 2023.
No One Slam Wonder Status For Arnya Sabalenka https://t.co/h1f4O9pjHZ
— Tennis Grandstand (@TennisGS) January 28, 2024
Returning to Melbourne as the defending champion in 2024, Sabalenka continued her impressive Grand Slam run by clinching her second Australian Open title without dropping a single set. In response to the perception of one-time Grand Slam champions, Aryna Sabalenka conveyed her genuine emotions, stating, “It’s very sad that people call ‘one Grand Slam champions’ that way.”
She expressed happiness at avoiding the one-slam wonder label and conveyed her determination to continue improving and winning more Grand Slam titles. In her pursuit of sustained success, Sabalenka aspires to keep building her tennis skills and adding more Grand Slam victories to her remarkable career.