Andy Roddick compares Elena Rybakina to "a No. 1 pick in the NBA draft," and believes the Kazakh has high chances of winning a Grand Slam in 2026.
Since sensationally winning 2022 Wimbledon as a player ranked outside the top-20, the 26-year-old has always been right at the top and contending for the biggest titles.
However, while Rybakina has achieved some very notable things since - like winning the 2025 WTA Finals and reaching the 2023 Australian Open final - she remains at one Grand Slam title in her collection.
In late 2025, Rybakina arguably looked like the best player in the game. After winning the WTA 500 tournament in Ningbo, the world No. 5 also reached the Tokyo semifinal before giving a walkover. Then, the former world No. 3 absolutely dominated in Riyadh, going 5-of-5 en route to wnning the WTA Finals. She won her last 11 matches played of the 2025 season.
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Elena Rybakina presents as someone who is like a No. 1 draft pick in the NBA. There are good draft picks who are all stars, and then there are people who are drafted No. 1, and Im not saying she is going to have the career of these people, but they look and feel different with what they are bringing," the 2003 US Open champion said on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast.
Roddick: Rybakina seems settled... She can definitely win a Grand Slam in 2026
If the 26-year-old Kazakh stays healthy in 2026, Roddick thinks she can absolutely do some great things.
She finished the year strongly. Seems settled. I think she can win a Major next year, no doubt. She is in that upper tier as far as ability goes, pretty easily, I think. I could not think more of her game, so we will see what 2026 brings. But she has a five next to her name. Barring missing months and months and months, and I feel that is the caveat we do with everything, she is going to be higher than that," Roddick explained.
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Rybakina will kick off her 2026 season at the Brisbane International, where she won the title in 2024.
Rybakina shouldn't lack any confidence at the start of 2026 and she is widely regarded among the top favorites for the Australian Open title.
