Episode 2 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast released across all platforms on February 6. The American star primarily discussed Saudi Arabia’s involvement with tennis, touching upon the humongous deal Rafael Nadal signed to be their tennis brand ambassador. He also extended his support to Andy Murray over the increasing retirement talk surrounding the Scot.
Saudi Arabia is making deeper inroads into tennis with every passing day. Given their allegedly poor record of human rights, including the criminalisation of homosexuality, and women’s rights, this has met with heavy criticism. Nadal, though, signed a deal reportedly worth USD $750 million to become the brand ambassador for tennis in the Gulf nation.
In the latest instalment of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast, the 2003 US Open champion expressed his apprehensions. He used LIV Golf, the breakaway tour that split from the PGA, as an example. He said he would not have joined the Saudi-backed rebel tour if he were a golfer. Roddick admitted he was a capitalist but said he would not participate in things that were ‘gross’.
Guest Jon Wertheim and Andy Roddick also discussed the possibility of a Saudi Arabia-operated ‘Super Tour’. The acclaimed journalist claimed Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley is a ‘driving force’ behind this endeavour. He claimed the nine ATP 1000s, four Grand Slams, and one new event in Saudi could comprise a 14-event Super Tour.
He questioned Nadal and Billie Jean King’s support and openness to partnering with Saudi Arabia, especially for the WTA. However, he conceded if the duo bring in positive changes in tennis as well as in the Arab country, he and other critics will be forced to recant their words. Recently, he claimed that Saudi hosting an ATP/WTA tournament is inevitable. He had just deleted a tweet about the nation threatening to imprison consultants who cooperate with the USA during the LIV-PGA merger probe.
What else was discussed on Episode 2 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast?
Following the lengthy discussion over Saudi Arabia’s tennis footprint, Andy Roddick also talked about Andy Murray. The latter is in a horrible rut, losing nine of his last 10 matches, going back to September 2023. Many media houses began calling for him to retire, including one which said he is ‘tarnishing his legacy’. Murray hit back and found support in Roddick on X (formerly Twitter).
In the latest episode of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast, the American again brought this topic up. He said such reports questioning Murray’s legacy ‘pis**d him off’. He mentioned how the three-time Grand Slam champion is still in the top 50. Roddick said he is entering tournaments on merit and not with wildcards, proving he is still a top player. He compared Murray’s situation to Venus Williams’, saying the WTA star is not treated as harshly as the Scot.
Roddick also talked about Steffi Graf and her appearance at the Pickleball Slam 2. He and Jon Wertheim dedicated a segment of the episode to discuss sports gambling and its impact. Roddick and Wertheim also spoke about popstar Taylor Swift’s relationship with Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. They shared their predictions for the 2024 Super Bowl before making a series of joke bets about Swift. Their bets included wagers on how many times and when the superstar artist would be shown on screen and her lipstick colour.
While Episode 2 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast did not drop any major news or revelations, it shed a lot of light on the seemingly unavoidable Saudi Arabian involvement. Roddick converses naturally with Wertheim, not filtering much, making for an entertaining episode. Unlike some other tennis podcasts, he keeps it light.
The SportsRush rates Episode 2 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast 4/5, a must-watch.
