One-time US Open champion Andy Roddick has hit back at critics of American men’s tennis, highlighting the number of top-ranked players. On the women’s side, all of this year’s Grand Slam finals featured American players, with two of those going on to win. Madison Keys clinched the Australian Open while Coco Gauff triumphed at Roland Garros. Amanda Anisimova made it to the Wimbledon and US Open finals, but was defeated by Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka respectively.
However, the men’s game hasn’t seen the same level of success. In the past 16 years, only once has an American man reached a Grand Slam final. Taylor Fritz was defeated in straight sets by Jannik Sinner at the 2024 US Open final. Before Fritz, the last American man to reach a Grand Slam final was Roddick himself in 2009, when he suffered a heartbreaking loss to Roger Federer in a five-set thriller at Wimbledon.Nevertheless, Roddick remains the last American player to savour Grand Slam glory.
He won the US Open final in 2003, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets. Given the contrast between the women’s success and the men’s struggles, there have been questions and criticism.
However, Roddick insists that American men’s tennis has significantly improved in recent years, suggesting there was a time when the country’s best player struggled to break into the top 20.
“It’s not 22 years [since American players have had success in Grand Slams],” stated Roddick on his Served podcast.
“It’s a lot less. Like, I’m a big part of that, I failed too, and just this narrative, now we’ve gotten to this thing where it’s like a pass-fail, and it’s like, okay, if you don’t beat Sinner and Alcaraz, then it’s the same.
“It’s not the same. It’s not the same as 10 years ago when the No. 1 seed, the highest-ranked American, was like 25 in the world, and there were seven in the main draw.
“We have to be able to think in a sober way about progress. If we can’t celebrate progress, we’re just lazy. There are 23 men in the US Open this year, the highest number in a long time.
“Four current American players have made the semis of a Grand Slam. Tommy Paul’s made it. Francis has done it twice. Ben’s done it twice. Taylor Fritz is now a finalist, a regular quarter-finalist, a semi-finalist at Wimbledon.
“This isn’t the same conversation that it was 10 years ago. It’s just not. And I understand that they have to deal with this hangover that they had. They had no drinks and still have a hangover. I don’t like it. It’s not fair. And I understand we have to talk about it. It’s so boring at this point to me.”
Roddick went on to champion the advancement of American men’s tennis, emphasising that standards have undoubtedly been elevated.
He continued: “I mean, it’s phenomenal. Twenty-three people. There’s 128 people and 23 were American. That’s a massive number on the men’s side. Progress.
“They’re going to make the comparison to one Sunday afternoon in 2003. Do it to eight years ago. Do it to 10 years ago. Let’s actually track progress, right? We’re not going to go back to Mac and Connors and Agassi and Sampras and Chang and Courier and like my golden childhood of fandom, right?
“Let’s have a sober view of what progress looks like. Progress looks like Ben Shelton before he hurt his shoulder, winning a Masters 1000. Progress is Taylor Fritz fighting and taking it on the chin, not hiding from this narrative and this hangover. Tommy, when he’s healthy, Francis lighting up New York.
“We need to have a sober view. I just get mad for these players and how good they are and how flippant this thing gets thrown out, you know.”
Content Source: www.express.co.uk