On his 42nd birthday, Andy Roddick gave an interview to New York Magazine in which he said that tennis does not really need a player’s union. Naturally, the comment didn’t sit well with everyone, especially Vasek Pospisil, the co-founder of the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) along with Novak Djokovic.
Pospisil responded swiftly, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to defend the PTPA and highlight how the organization has grown in fighting for the interests of the players. He emphasized that the PTPA was created to give players a voice, calling the ATP and WTA’s Player Advisory Council ‘powerless’.
The Canadian player admitted that his own career has taken a backseat because of the work he has put in with the PTPA. However, their priority is to bring much-needed changes into the sport.
Pospisil also offered Roddick a seat in the PTPA, stating that no other organization does the work they do for the sport.
Interestingly, after that, the CEO of PTPA, Ahmed Nassar claimed that he was open to featuring on Roddick’s podcast ‘Served With Andy Roddick’ and be interviewed by him about the organization. If that happens, it could be a very interesting episode.
Nassar and Pospisil have been passionate in helping Djokovic bring the change he wishes to see in the sport. Otherwise, it has been a tough road for the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Despite Djokovic’s best efforts, several top players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Carlos Alcaraz, and even Roddick himself haven’t jumped on board, each for their own reasons. This lack of support from the sport’s biggest names has made the PTPA’s road even rockier.
Roddick’s comments haven’t sat well with Djokovic’s army of fans either. He’s never been one of their favorites, and this latest debate will likely see more social media pressure coming his way.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Roddick addressed the fallout in an upcoming episode of his podcast, where he’s known for discussing all things tennis with a touch of humor and bluntness.
The debate around the PTPA continues, but one thing’s for sure— Roddick’s 42nd birthday became a whole lot more eventful thanks to one comment that’s still making waves.
