Andy Roddick claims Iga Swiatek has managed to do something at Wimbledon he's not seen since Pete Sampras

Iga Swiatek will play her first Wimbledon final on Saturday in a maiden tour-level clash with Amanda Anisimova.

Swiatek dominated Belinda Bencic in straight sets to book her place in the championship match at the All England Club.

She is now the only active player to have made a Grand Slam final on all three surfaces, and the youngest woman to do so since Justine Henin in 2003.

After years of struggling to make a deep run in SW19, the Pole has finally found her game on grass, which has impressed former Wimbledon finalist Andy Roddick.

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Andy Roddick makes comparison between Iga Swiatek and Pete Sampras

On the ‘Served’ podcast, Roddick said: “It’s weird. We talk about Iga a lot and say, does she get tight, and you can see the stress mentally on her.

“Guys, she has never lost a Grand Slam final. So it’s like some people get celebrated for being mentally tough, and I don’t know.

“People thought I was a fighter, but I was not undefeated in Grand Slam finals! I would love to be as mentally up and down as Iga Swiatek. I will tell you that right now.

“She is playing fantastic. I don’t know if I have ever seen an improvement since Pete Sampras’ year-to-year on a certain surface.

“He hated grass from 1990 to 92, and then from 93 it was like this tournament is going to be mine many, many, many times. But whatever it is, it’s working. She is playing great.”

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Iga Swiatek’s previous struggles at Wimbledon

Until this year, Swiatek had made it to at least the semi-final of every Grand Slam except Wimbledon.

She had won four French Open titles, a US Open crown, and had made the final four at the Australian Open twice, but only got as far as the quarter-finals in South West London; a finish she achieved in 2023.

Year Result 2024 Third Round 2023 Quarter Final 2022 Third Round 2021 Fourth Round 2019 First Round Iga Swiatek’s previous campaigns at Wimbledon

The former world number one crashed out in the third round last season to an unseeded player, after not featuring at any grass-court tournaments prior to the championships.

This year, however, she appeared at the Bad Homburg Open, where she made the final, and now has the opportunity to hold the Wimbledon trophy aloft on Centre Court for the first time.

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