Andy Roddick has once again been delving into the latest tennis action, with focus unsurprisingly still wrapped around the French Open.
Having concluded just last week, attention seems already to have turned towards the grass-court leg of the season, with a number of tournaments kicking off around Europe on both the ATP and the WTA.
One such player who has sprung straight back into action is Naomi Osaka, who actually garnered praise from Andy Roddick for the way in which she impressed on clay at Roland Garros, a surface she has notoriously struggled with in the past.
However, it was his co-host for this week who actually spearheaded the adulation for the four-time Grand Slam champion.
Kim Clijsters delivers Naomi Osaka Wimbledon verdict
This latest iteration of the Served by Andy Roddick podcast sought to look back on the French Open, combing over some of the competition’s outstanding matches which eventually led to more titles for Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiątek.
However, the former world number one was delighted to this week be joined by Kim Clijsters, who offered her expert verdict on the WTA in particular.
Seeking to laud the latter, she could not do so without mentioning Osaka, who fought so bravely to challenge the 23-year-old on her favoured surface.
And now, ahead of the grass-court season, she is predicting big things for the world number 125, as she notes: ‘I feel like that was like ‘okay this is the best I have seen her play’ [against Swiatek]. I was in the stands when she lost to Elise Mertens at Indian Wells. There were a lot of unforced errors. They were mostly on the wider side of the court.
‘The movement and being able to come back was a little late at times, but when she was behind the ball it was so good. The serve was incredible. At the French she had nothing to lose, so she was just going for it.
‘But I think even at Wimbledon with that serve and when the first two shots in the rally are so important, she’s so good at that, the return is very good. She has been in the grass courts to train, so definitely committed and focused to try and get that slam. And why not Wimbledon? She definitely has the weapons if she is fit enough.’
Naomi Osaka is already looking dangerous on the grass
Playing on Tuesday, her win over Elise Mertens in the Rosmalen Grass Court Championships in the Netherlands was her first on a grass court since 2018.
However, she would follow that up with another comprehensive victory against Suzan Lamens, having set up a quarter-final clash with Bianca Andreescu.
There is nobody within this tournament that would relish a clash with the Japanese tennis player, who is coming into it fresh off a fine albeit short run at Roland Garros, where she very nearly did the unthinkable and knocked out Swiatek in just the second round.
Of the seven matches the world number one was forced to play, Osaka pushed her the hardest, and even had a match point whilst on serve, which she squandered.
Unsurprisingly, her powerful serve and hard-hitting is already translating well to the grass, and ahead of next month’s Wimbledon, she could certainly be a dark horse to enjoy a deep run.
The furthest the 26-year-old has even gone in the competition was the third round.
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