"I guess you didn’t see her throwing up in the garbage with your egg head": Roddick praises Coco Gauff's dad's reaction to 'faking illness' jibe

The ongoing illness concerns at the Madrid Open have sparked debate, and plenty of humour, on the Served podcast, as Andy Roddick, Jon Wertheim and Producer Mike discussed what has quickly been dubbed “shrimp taco gate.”

The conversation began light-heartedly, with Roddick asking Mike if he liked tacos, “I do, I love tacos,” before questioning whether he would eat one in Madrid right now. Mike admitted uncertainty, pointing to reports circulating from the tournament, suggesting the issue may not even be tacos specifically but “a mix of tacos and a general stomach bug.”

Behind the jokes, the situation in Madrid has been significant. “Here’s the headline, 31 players have withdrawn or retired from the Madrid Open so far, across both draws,” Mike explained, noting that the number had risen sharply mid-tournament, with 17 women affected alone.

Players including Iga Swiatek, Liudmila Samsonova and Madison Keys were among those impacted, while Coco Gauff notably battled through illness, even vomiting on court and still winning. Roddick was quick to add a key detail amid the speculation, “Coco did say she didn’t eat the tacos,” prompting Wertheim to jokingly defend the food, “I love tacos, so I’m glad they’re being defended properly.”

The discussion then shifted to player habits at tournaments, particularly around food and risk. Wertheim raised the idea of whether players should think twice about certain meals, especially in temporary catering setups. “The risk-reward on shrimp tacos doesn’t feel great,” he said, noting that most tournament catering effectively operates as a one-week “pop-up.” Roddick agreed emphatically, drawing a clear line, “I’m not a big fan of pop-up fish. Pop-up seafood? Nope, not for me.”

Mike echoed the sentiment, while Wertheim pointed out that by the time players react to potential issues, it may already be too late, especially given how closely players interact throughout the event. “You’re standing in line with everyone, high-fiving, hugging, it’s a tinderbox for a virus,” Roddick added.

The podcast also touched on social media reactions to Gauff’s situation, including a comment accusing her of faking illness. That drew a sharp response from her father, Corey, who replied, “I got time today. I guess you didn’t see her throwing up in the garbage with your egg head.”

Roddick backed the reaction, calling it both justified and understandable. “Don’t feed the trolls, but also, great dad,” he said, while dismissing any suggestion that Gauff would exaggerate an issue. “What has Coco ever done to make us think she’d fake something like that? She always shows up, in the best and worst of times.”

As ever, the segment balanced analysis with humour, highlighted by Roddick sharing a story from his junior days. “My mom once told me, if you ever have to vomit during a match, do it in the middle of the court,” he said. “It’ll take at least 20 minutes to clean it up.”

The anecdote drew disbelief and laughter, with Wertheim calling it “next-level strategy” and Mike describing it as “genius.” Roddick joked that it was a missed opportunity for Gauff, adding, “All I’m saying is Corey Gauff didn’t teach Coco that one, she could’ve had 20 minutes in air conditioning!”

Despite the humour, the discussion reflected the unusual circumstances in Madrid, where illness has disrupted both draws and raised wider questions about conditions on site. From playful “tinfoil hat” theories about tacos to genuine concerns over player health, the trio captured the strange reality of the tournament. As Roddick summed up while wrapping the segment, “That concludes the vomiting section of today’s show.”