Episode 3 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast released across all platforms on February 13. The American icon again talked about the growing Saudi Arabian involvement in tennis, now seemingly a permanent topic on his show. He also touched upon player-coach dynamics, sharing his experiences and talking about the issues Holger Rune is facing in this department. He reserved special praise for singer Usher’s half-time show at the Super Bowl.
Just like Saudi Arabia’s influence on tennis, this topic coming up in Roddick’s podcast also seems inevitable. For the third straight episode, he and journalist Jon Wertheim spoke about the Gulf nation’s tennis initiatives.
The duo started by discussing Wertheim’s reveal that the Saudi PIF is set to buy the ATP Rankings system. They believed this was just one step in increasing their investment and power in the sport and Saudi Arabia will soon host a premier ATP event.
Roddick mentioned he heard an insider rumor that the Arab nation wants to host a 1000-level tournament in the first week of January. He mentioned how this would affect the ATP Tour and Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia. Tournaments held Down Under would be the most affected. Despite being one of the leading proponents of the Saudi takeover, Tiley would end up on the receiving end if the new event materialised.
Andy Roddick said players would be squeezed tight with the new event, especially the ATP Finals participants. He said it would barely leave an off-season for top players, also compromising their Christmas plans. He also added that choosing tournaments is not an easy decision for the player. The athlete has to consider sponsor attachments, winning probabilities, appearance fees, in addition to his fitness, to decide his schedule. Roddick used a spate of examples from his career to embellish his point, providing a great insight into how a player has to think.
What else was discussed on Episode 3 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast?
Andy Roddick and Jon Wertheim also spoke about the coaching dynamics in tennis. The former found it weird that many players were changing their coaches just one month after the new season began. He shed light on how the player-coach relationship in a sport like tennis is very sensitive. Players are usually younger than the coach, who is an authority figure. However, the athlete is ultimately the employer and, in a paradoxical way, the ‘boss’ of his coach.
Again, Roddick revealed his experiences from his playing days with his various coaches. He recounted how difficult and heart-breaking it was for him to fire childhood coach Tarik Benhabiles. He also recollected being ‘dumped’ by Jimmy Connors after their brief 18-month stint together. The 2003 US Open winner said he had fond memories with his compatriot, but their geographical distance did not allow for a long-term relationship.
Wertheim mentioned how Jessica Pegula and Holger Rune have already changed their coaches this season. The Dane recently relieved Boris Becker and Severin Luthi of their duties barely months after onboarding them. Roddick said while he is not aware of the issue, there is some hiccup in Rune’s camp. He added he often chats with Pegula and Coco Gauff on the phone, even catching up if they happen to be close by.
Winding down Episode 3 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast with a few words about the Super Bowl LVIII, the eponymous host remarked on his amazement with singer-songwriter Usher’s athleticism on rollerskates. The half-time performer did his entire act on blades, leading Roddick to call it ‘the most incredible athletic feat’.
The SportsRush rates Episode 3 of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast 5/5, a must-watch.
