Andy Roddick is not happy with some tennis fans reacting negatively to Venus Williams’ Australian Open wildcard.
Williams is confirmed to return to the Australian Open for the first time since 2021 after receiving a wildcard for this year’s tournament.
There has been some criticism for this decision from the tournament, but Coco Gauff has been supportive of Williams receiving a wildcard.
After Williams lost her first match of the 2026 season, former world number one Roddick has now given his say on the situation.
Andy Roddick defends both Venus Williams and Stan Wawrinka
Williams was the final wildcard announced in the women’s singles draw, while there are still three yet to be confirmed for the men’s tournament.
With that, players including Nick Kyrgios and former champion Stan Wawrinka are still unsure if they will play the Australian Open this year.
How far will Venus Williams go at the Australian Open?
When discussing Williams and Wawrinka, who will be retiring this year, on the ‘Served with Andy Roddick’ podcast, Roddick admitted that he had a different mindset to them both at the latter stages of his career, but wishes he was more like them.
Roddick also jumped to the defence of both players receiving a wildcard, claiming that as multiple-time Grand Slam champions they have earned them.
“I was miserable when I woke up thinking that I knew that I couldn’t win a major,” said Roddick. “That killed me. I would lose and put stock in it. I needed to feel it. My progression was, I didn’t play for a long time after I retired, I never went out and played for fun, now I’m at the place, the last two years, where I go and play for fun, most days, and I love it. It’s the best ever!
“I wish I could have gotten through my mental s— earlier, and just enjoyed it for what it was. I don’t know that I had that gear, I wish I did, because they [Wawrinka and Williams] are better than me for it.
“My love of the game at that moment in my life needed results. It was results based, I like results more than I liked the playing of the matches. I wish I would have given it some time. Five years later I would go play an echo band beat someone top 10, 20, 30 in the world, I know there was more. I never came close to coming back.
“But anyone who says ‘They shouldn’t be doing it’, who are you to tell them they can’t do it? One has won seven majors, one has won three. How on earth do you think that you get an opinion on this? ‘She’s taking a wild card from someone else’.
“Again, I’m just going to say this, a wild card is given to someone who is undeserving based on ranking already. She’s not taking a spot from someone who has earned a spot based on the cut-off, same with Stan. Are they potentially getting a wild card over someone who is an up-and-comer? Sure. Who deserves that spot more? I might argue it’s the person who has won Wimbledon five times.”
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When was the last time Venus Williams won a Grand Slam singles match?
As Williams looks to make her return to the Australian Open, a tournament where she has twice reached the final before, she will also bid to win her first Grand Slam match in over four years.
The seven-time major winner’s appearances at majors have been more sporadic in recent years, with Williams’ last Grand Slam victory coming at Wimbledon in 2021.
Since then, Williams has lost five Grand Slam matches in a row, but she was able to push 11th seed Karolina Muchova to three sets at the US Open last year.
| Grand Slam | Venus Williams |
| Wimbledon 2021 | Beat Mihaela Burzarnescu, 7-5 4-6 6-3, in the first round |
| Wimbledon 2021 | Lost in the second round to Ons Jabeur (21), 7-5 6-0 |
| US Open 2022 | Lost in the first round to Kaia Kanepi, 6-1 7-6(5) |
| Wimbledon 2023 | Lost in the first round to Elina Svitolina, 6-4 6-3 |
| US Open 2023 | Lost in the first round to Greet Minnen, 6-1 6-1 |
| US Open 2025 | Lost in the first round to Karolina Muchova (11), 6-3 2-6 6-1 |
Williams will now play one more tournament before the Australian Open, after also receiving a wildcard for the WTA 250 tournament in Hobart.
Following the outcome of her results at the Hobart International, Williams will head to Melbourne for the Australian Open, with the main draw getting underway on Sunday, January 18.
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