Andy Roddick was one of the familiar faces at the Arthur Ashe Stadium who witnessed Carlos Alcaraz’s magic unfold in the US Open final against Jannik Sinner on Sunday. The 2003 US Open champion reflected on what happened behind the scenes during President Donald Trump’s appearance at the match.
The President was invited by Rolex, a major sponsor of the tournament. Speculations about his visit started a few days earlier, along with the organisers banning the telecast of any negative reactions to his visit, which sparked controversy.
Andy Roddick, who was at the epicentre of the event, shared what the atmosphere was like at the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre from the day before his visit. In addition to that, he claimed that the situation was completely different from the time former President Bill Clinton paid a visit in 2002. On his show, The Served Podcast, he said:
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"They said Bill Clinton went in 2000. I was there. I don't even remember it. So like, just level set that. Maybe that's just my issue... Everyone's in a panic the day before. It's like, you can't really bring bags. I'm like, well, I have to go to the airport and I have a locker. So I ended up putting my bag in the trunk of a car in Lot A so I could go in with just a backpack."
Andy Roddick continued:
"You walk in and there's hundreds of cubby lockers. I've never, it was like eerie. No one's in there yet. I'm the first person in there. All the lockers are open and they had all been like swept. I'm waiting for my coffee and two dudes, just nice guys waiting for their coffees. Except they have massive four-foot-long guns on their backs. Like, it was just where US Open has been this thing where it's like tennis and it just felt like you were a guest at the US Open yesterday. I don't know, it was just really strange." (45:20 onwards)
Andy Roddick also shared his shock at seeing some other robust security measures adopted on the day of President Donald Trump's visit.
Andy Roddick showered praises on Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on epic US Open clash
Andy Roddick expressed nothing but praise after witnessing a four-set thriller at the final of the New York Slam, as Carlos Alcaraz managed to prevail over Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. The Spaniard claimed his second title at the tournament and his overall sixth major title by thoroughly overpowering his Italian opponent.
Roddick compared Alcaraz to the 20-time Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer, in another episode of his podcast, and said,
"He was unleashing on the ball. The short, kind of Federeresque slice was a different play. You have to think he watched that Dimitrov match, or at least it made an impact, because he was hitting that and mixing it up out of the zones."
The former ATP star didn't leave out Sinner and added:
"Let’s not forget Jannik. It’s been a hell of a year for him. There’s been a lot going on.. What shouldn’t be in doubt is the level of class he continuously shows when he loses.... I just have more respect for both of these guys."
Jannik Sinner has appeared in all four Grand Slam finals of the season and won two of them, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. He and Alcaraz now share two major titles each this year.
