"The kid who grew up in war torn Serbia, or Williams girls from Compton": Andy Roddick hits out about rich person perception of tennis as a sport
ATP
Former world number one Andy Roddick has opposed the idea
that tennis remains the sport for rich kids.
The 41-year-old received a message under his post on the social
media platform X — previously known as Twitter — from a user who claimed that
tennis remains a luxury sport for kids belonging to rich families.
"Andy, tennis is not a sport. Please stop embarrassing
yourself. It's a leisure activity that rich children with successful parents
participate in because they're too weak for actual sports like ballet or ribbon
dancing," the user wrote.
In response to that, Agassi responded that is not the case and
he used the current world number one Novak Djokovic, legendary Andre Agassi and
Serena Williams.
"Right. All those rich kids like the two best ever ….
That kid who grew up in war torn Serbia. Or those Williams girls from Compton.
Or that Agassi whose dad was from Iran and worked the door at Caesars for tips.
I'll stop embarrassing myself," he wrote.
The Nebraska-born retired from the sport in 2012 in the
singles category and in 2015 from the doubles category. He finished his career
as a one-time Grand Slam winner. His only major triumph came in 2003 when he lifted
the US Open after beating Spain’s Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets with a
score of 6-3, 7-6, 6-3.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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