Photo credit: Venus Williams (Instagram)
Venus Williams’ US Open loss sparked criticism, but Andy Roddick is pushing back against those questioning whether the tennis legend should still be competing.
The 46-year-old former world No. 1 returned to the US Open doubles court alongside her younger sister, Serena Williams. However, the sisters’ highly anticipated run ended in a dramatic three-set defeat.
Despite the loss, Roddick believes Venus still has plenty to offer on the court.
Venus Williams’ US Open Loss Sparks Debate
Venus and Serena Williams faced Chan Hao-ching and Maya Joint on Friday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The sisters battled through a tight contest before falling 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (10-7).
The packed New York crowd watched as the Williams sisters fought until the final points. Their defeat came after Venus had already been eliminated from the singles tournament.
Venus lost to Sofia Kenin in straight sets, extending her singles losing streak to 15 matches.
Her recent results led some fans to question whether she should continue competing at the highest level.
Roddick, however, does not believe Venus deserves that criticism.
Andy Roddick Has Venus Williams’ Back
During his Served podcast, Roddick defended Venus’ decision to continue playing.
“Not going to blame her for whatever she wants to do,” Roddick said.
The former US Open champion also pointed to Venus’ doubles ability as evidence that she can still compete effectively.
Roddick highlighted her performance at last year’s US Open, where she reached the quarterfinals with Leylah Fernandez.
He also praised Venus’ performance against Chan and Joint.
“She’s a good doubles player still,” Roddick said. “I thought she played great tonight. She hit the ball great.”
For Roddick, Venus’ age should not erase what she is still capable of doing on a tennis court.
“Nobody moves better at 46 than they do at 22,” he added.
Venus Williams Continues to Make Her Own Decisions
Venus has continued competing in singles and doubles despite the challenges that come with returning to professional tennis at 46.
Her strongest recent result came at the DC Open, where she reached the doubles quarterfinals with Diana Schnaider.
She also reunited with Serena for doubles at the Cincinnati Open. The sisters lost that match to Marta Kostyuk and Peyton Stearns.
Venus has made it clear that she remains focused on deciding her own future.
After her singles loss to Kenin, she was asked about her plans and emphasized that her attention was on recovering and preparing for the doubles match with Serena.
“I don’t think I should have to,” Venus said when discussing whether she needed to explain her future plans.
Serena and Venus Williams Leave Fans Wanting More
The sisters’ latest US Open appearance generated enormous interest, with fans packing Arthur Ashe Stadium to watch them compete together again.
Following their defeat, however, Venus and Serena declined to speak with the media.
That has left questions surrounding what comes next for both sisters.
Serena retired from professional tennis at the 2022 US Open but has since returned to competition in doubles alongside Venus. She has also teased the possibility of another singles comeback.
For Venus, the decision appears to remain firmly in her hands.
While her US Open loss brought criticism, Roddick’s message was clear: Venus Williams has earned the right to decide when her tennis journey ends.
And judging by the reaction from the New York crowd, plenty of fans are still eager to watch the tennis icon play.
Source: Pro Football Network
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