Roddick praises Djokovic after historic Olympic gold win: "Words will fail me when trying to express the respect that I have"
ATP
Andy Roddick showered Novak Djokovic with praise after the Serbian secured the gold medal at the Olympic Games. The 2003 US Open champion highlighted Nole's ability to redeem himself after a challenging season and achieve the one title missing from his collection at Paris 2024.
The American shared his thoughts on the final between Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz on his podcast Served with Roddick. The former No. 1 also commended the Spanish player for his classiness after a tough loss, despite having achieved great results in recent months, including two Grand Slam titles.
Roddick applauds Djokovic's golden triumph
Despite starting the tournament with doubts about his physical condition, Djokovic ultimately clinched the coveted gold medal at Paris 2024 last Sunday. Along the way, he defeated players like Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Musetti before avenging his Wimbledon final loss against Carlos Alcaraz.
Nole became the first male player to win the gold medal without dropping a set and, at 37, the oldest to do so. Roddick praised the Serbian's exceptional performance: “Words will fail me when trying to express the respect that I have for Novak, obviously for the totality of his career,” Roddick began.
“Both of these things are true: he’s been physically compromised all year, and he said during the offseason last year that he would take a gold medal over any tournament in 2024, and I believe him. I think a lot of people say that because they feel like they should; Novak means it because that's the only hole in his resume. The only thing you can argue for someone else over Novak is an Olympic gold medal.”
Djokovic after he won the Olympic gold medal
“He knows that going out, you've been physically compromised all year, you haven't won a tournament, you haven't beaten a top 10 player all year, you had knee surgery on June 6th, and you won Olympic gold singles against the current best player on earth on August 4th,” Roddick added.
“You feel like there was a weight around this, you know? He's won Wimbledon seven times, not saying the Wimbledon final isn't the pinnacle of our sport. But I felt like this meant more, just based on feelings,” he claimed.
“I think Wimbledon helped, and I think he was healthy going in, and he was pretty honest about it. He said like, 'I feel better here than I did at Wimbledon by far,’” Roddick added. “He knew that his best chance at a medal, and we said this in the weird quasi-Olympic show from last week, he didn't mess around with doubles, he didn't stay in the village. He had a singular focus: ‘This is what I have to do.’"
“If you're a fan that is on Twitter ripping on Novak, then you don't deserve to watch tennis,” Roddick added.
On the other hand, the American criticized those who attack Djokovic on social media, stressing that Djokovic is undeniably a tennis great whom all true fans should respect: “You can like someone more, someone else can also be great, and if that scene doesn’t pull your heartstrings, I don’t care. I don't need you to agree with someone's life decisions to respect greatness when it's staring you right in the face,” the American added.
Roddick also praised Alcaraz: “That scene was… I haven't seen him that emotional for a long time. I thought Carlos was always classy, he's creating quite the off-court legacy for himself as well. I love that. He was emotional afterward—you could see what it meant to him even after the summer that he's had,” Roddick concluded.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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