"Well, it's great that she's back," Roddick told reporters after beating Kevin Anderson 6-4 6-4 in the third round of the Queen's Club tournament on Thursday.
"I mean, I think, no disrespect to any of the women that are playing right now, but I think women's tennis needs that dominating figure.
"She hasn't played for a year but I think she still is that personality and, you know, she's certainly going to probably be the top storyline going into Wimbledon."
Serena has four Wimbledon singles titles to her name, one less than sister Venus who is also returning at the Eastbourne warm-up event after being ruled out since the Australian Open with an abdominal injury.
Roddick said despite a chronic lack of match practice Serena is capable of claiming the Wimbledon title this year. The championships begin on June 20.
"I don't think it would shock anybody if she came through and won it again," Roddick said. "It's very smart of her to play a lead-up event, especially after being gone for a year."
Since cutting her foot on broken glass in Munich last year, an injury that required surgery to a lacerated tendon, and then suffering life-threatening blood clots in February, Serena's presence has been missed on the WTA Tour.
Her return will help raise its profile, Roddick said.
"I think I speak for most people in tennis whereas you want her in the game for so many reasons; not only because she wins and she's a great champion, but she brings pop culture to tennis," he said.
Sunday, June 12, 2011 at 10:18PM 
