Roddick: WTA needs Serena's crossover appeal

Andy Roddick, a childhood friend of Serena Williams, says the former No. 1 and reigning Wimbledon champion cannot be counted out of winning her 14th major, even though she hasn?t played in nearly a year due to injury and illness. Serena will make her comeback at Eastbourne next week, just before Wimbledon.

"I don't think it would shock anybody if she came through and won it (Wimbledon) again," Roddick told reporters at Queens. "I think it's very smart of her to play a lead-up event after being gone for a year. I think I speak for most people in tennis in saying you want her in the game for so many reasons. Not only because she wins and she's a great champion, but because she brings pop culture to tennis. She brings crossover appeal and creates storylines even when she's not trying, which at the end of the day is a healthy thing for the sport. No disrespect to any of the other women that are playing right now, but I think women's tennis needs that dominating figure."

Source: http://feeds.tennis.com/~r/tenniscom-news/~3/6G3Ga1JiDSI/

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