Andy Roddick Backs ‘This’ Player to Stop Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz From Winning Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz defended their Australian Open and French Open titles, respectively, this year.

Andy Roddick Backs ‘This’ Player to Stop Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz From Winning Wimbledon

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Andy Roddik (Image via X/Univers Tennis, Tim Newcomb)

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the heavy favorites to win Wimbledon, given that they have shared the last six Grand Slam titles between them. Alcaraz is at the Queen’s Club Championships, bidding to win his fourth title on the grass and his second in the tournament (won it in 2023).

Sinner is chasing his second grass-court title at the Halle Open which he won last year by beating Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. The Italian defended his Australian Open crown by breezing past World No.3 Alexander Zverev and after serving his three-month doping ban and making his return at the Italian Open (lost to Alcaraz in the final), he progressed to the championship match at the French Open, only to lose to Alcaraz after five hours and 29 minutes- the longest French Open final.

Who can challenge their dominance in the Grand Slam tournaments? Former player Andy Roddick backed Britain’s Jack Draper to lift the home Major. He told Tennis Channel:

I love Jack Draper. I think his game is very complete: he returns very well, is capable of hitting with all his right, the lefty serve…he’s someone who can do certain things capable of unsettling Carlos and Jannik. I believe he can hold his serve enough times to raise doubts.

Sinner was the semifinalist in the grass-court Major in 2023 (lost to Novak Djokovic). Last year, Daniil Medvedev ended his run in the quarterfinals after a five-set battle. At this Halle Open, Sinner went past Yannick Hanfmann and is set to square off against Alexander Bublik.

Alcaraz will enter Wimbledon as the two-time defending champion. In the previous two Wimbledon, he beat Djokovic in the finals. At this season’s Queen’s, he went past Adam Walton and has scheduled a second-round clash with compatriot Jaume Munar.

Draper, however, has never progressed beyond the second round, reaching the stage in 2022 and 2024. His campaign last year was ended by his compatriot Cameron Norrie in straight sets.

Draper, who went past Jenson Brooksby, will meet Alexei Popyrin in the second round at Queen’s. He is projected to meet the five-time Grand Slam champion in the final. It is worth noting that the second seed is chasing his second title on grass following his win at the 2024 Stuttgart Open.

Andy Roddick also backs Novak Djokovic to win at Wimbledon

Apart from Jack Draper, Andy Roddick pointed out that there’s one player who is hard to write off in Grand Slam events. It’s none other than seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic (8)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Wolfy)

He was in the final last year, let’s not forget. This is his best Slam in terms of title chances, he’s closer to Sinner and Alcaraz, best of five sets, at Wimbledon, compared to other Slams.

Andy Roddick told Tennis Channel

The Serb last lifted a Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open but since then, he advanced to a Major final just once: in last year’s Wimbledon. At the Australian Open this year, Djokovic knocked out Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals but an injury forced him to retire mid-match in the semifinals against Alexander Zverev.

At Roland Garros then, the 38-year-old was producing strong performances but lost a thrilling semifinal against Jannik Sinner in straight sets. Since last year, either injury issues or Alcaraz and Sinner became the reason behind the Serb’s exits in Grand Slam events (except the 2024 US Open).

Djokovic last won a Big Title at the 2024 Paris Olympics and lifted his 100th tour-level trophy at this year’s Geneva Open. This season, apart from winning the Geneva Open, he also reached the summit clash of the Miami Open which he lost to Jakub Mensik. He has not signed up for any warm-up tournaments before Wimbledon.

Also read: Carlos Alcaraz Believes He Doesn’t Have Any “Mental Advantage” over Arch-Rival Jannik Sinner