The incredible claim Andy Roddick made about Roger Federer after losing to him at Wimbledon which was proven totally correct

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Roger Federer enjoyed a legendary career in tennis, and remains the greatest player to have ever graced the courts of Wimbledon.

There are few players that have left a bigger impact on tennis as Federer, who dominated the sport for much of the 2000s.

The Swiss star began his career on the ATP Tour in 1998, and played for 24 years before calling it a day in 2022.

He played his final match at the Laver Cup, where he paired up with rival and friend Rafael Nadal for a defeat to the American duo of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

His legendary career had come to an end, and whilst few could’ve predicted Federer’s success, a former world number one may well have done just that back in 2003.

What Andy Roddick said after losing to a Grand Slam-less Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2003

Federer entered the 2003 Wimbledon tournament as the number four seed, having never reached a Grand Slam semi-final in his career to date.

However, as defending champion Lleyton Hewitt fell in the first round, and second and third seeds Andre Agassi and Juan Carlos Ferrero lost before the quarter-finals, Federer quickly became a strong favorite for the title.

Fellow youngster Andy Roddick also looked good for a deep run at SW19, having made the last four in Australia earlier that same year.

Both Federer and Roddick dropped just one singular set on their way to the semis at Wimbledon in 2003, knowing that they would be heavily favored in a final against either fourteenth seed Sebastian Grosjean or unseeded Mark Philippoussis.

It looked as if fans were in store for a classic but the Swiss star made light work of the American as he won 7-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Roddick couldn’t help but praise his Swiss opponent after the match, as he recalled what he thought to himself during a changeover in the second set.

“I remember thinking to myself, “I played a pretty good game to make him serve it out and I lost it at Love.” You know, kind of the last shot was just ridiculous,” he said.

“He came full-steam ahead, half volley, but like swinging half, like not in the air, though, I don’t know if anybody else can do that shot.

“It was almost like he was trying to do a trick shot out there, but, you know, it worked. I just had to say too good.

The American went on to make a huge claim about Federer’s talents, which perhaps seemed premature considering his inexperience on tour.

“It’s weird, I mean, he comes up – as far as talent goes, I don’t know if there’s anybody out there more talented,” said Roddick.

“He’s a great athlete; he’s so quick out there.

“I mean, there’s not much he doesn’t have, you know. Now it seems like he’s putting it together upstairs and it’s all coming together for him.

“He’s a very good player.”

Fresh off the back of being described as the most talented player on tour by Roddick, Federer looked to prove him right in his maiden Slam final.

Up against Australia’s Philippoussis, Federer continued his fine form to take home the first of many Major titles.

Winning 7-6, 6-2, 7-6, Federer claimed the Wimbledon crown having dropped just one set all tournament, as he announced himself in a big way on the ATP Tour.

The result saw the Swiss star jump to number three in the world rankings, but it wouldn’t be long before he stood alone at the top of the pile.

Roger Federer proved Andy Roddick right by winning 20 Grand Slam titles

Roddick had made a bold claim when he said that Federer was the most talented player on the ATP Tour despite never winning a Grand Slam, but over the next two decades he was proven right on countless occasions.

2004: Roger Federer wins his first Australian Open title

Having taken his first Major title at Wimbledon, it didn’t take Federer too long to double his tally, as he was victorious in Melbourne six months later.

Number one seed Roddick, who himself had won his maiden Slam in 2003 at the US Open, was knocked out in the quarter-finals, leaving the Swiss star a clear path to the title.

Dropping two sets this time on his way to the title, Federer brushed aside Russia’s Marat Safin in the final as he won his second Grand Slam, and with it became world number one.

2004-2008: Roger Federer wins five consecutive US Open titles

After winning Wimbledon in 2003, Federer dominated the tournament for the coming years, as he took five consecutive titles before losing to legendary rival Nadal in the 2008 final.

He enjoyed a similar spell of dominance in New York winning five in a row, tying Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors for the most US Open titles.

It wasn’t as if he was handed the titles either, as he took down some of the best players in men’s tennis during his wins at Flushing Meadows.

2009: Roger Federer finally completes the Career Grand Slam at the French Open

By 2009, Federer had won the Australian Open three times, and both the Wimbledon and US Open five times.

Roland Garros had evaded him however, partly thanks to the emergence of Nadal who had won four titles in a row after making his tournament debut in 2004.

He had looked unbeatable, but in the 2009 fourth round, the unthinkable happened, as the Spaniard was dumped out by 23rd seed Robin Soderling.

With the pre-tournament favorite out of the way, Federer wasn’t prepared to let his opportunity slip, as he battled through two five-set wars against Tommy Haas and Juan Martin del Potro to reach the final.

It was there that he beat Soderling, completing the Career Grand Slam taking home his one and only title at the French Open.

2009: Roger Federer wins Wimbledon ‘war’ against Andy Roddick

Roddick was complimentary of Federer in 2003, but he may not have been quite so kind had he known how their rivalry would unfold over the next decade.

The American lost four Grand Slam finals to Federer, with the most heart-breaking of all coming at Wimbledon in 2009.

Six years after Roddick had waxed lyrical about the Swiss star’s talents, the pair battled it out in a war for the title.

Federer won the deciding set 16-14, as Roddick was left devastated by his Swiss rival once more.

2018: Roger Federer wins his 20th and final Grand Slam at the Australian Open

From 2003-2010 Federer dominated men’s tennis winning 16 Grand Slam titles, but couldn’t quite replicate that success in the following years.

In the six years after his 2010 triumph in Melbourne, Federer won just the one Slam title at Wimbledon in 2012.

He finally got back to winning ways in 2017, however, as he took home the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles, as he recovered his previous form at the Major tournaments.

His final Slam win came one year later, as he took down Croat Marin Cilic in the Australian Open final in a five-set thriller.

15 years after his first title at Wimbledon in 2003, Federer kissed the trophy as he stood alone on 20 Grand Slam wins.

At 36-years-old Federer became the second oldest Slam champion in the history of men’s tennis but that wouldn’t have bothered him as he won his 20th and final Major title.

What Andy Roddick said about Roger Federer and Pete Sampras in 2003 that seemed crazy

Back at Wimbledon in 2003, Roddick was also asked to compare Federer to Pete Sampras, who at the time was the most successful player in ATP history.

“Roger [Federer] just put, I mean, he has a lot more spin on his shots,” he said.

“As far as they both serve, they both volley, they can do everything pretty well, but Roger’s a little more, he’s not on you all the time.

“He kind of plays a little bit more, then he picks his shot.

“Maybe he’s a little bit more patient.

“Whereas Pete [Sampras] was all the time, all the time, all the time.”

These comments, and the claim that Federer was the most talented player he’d seen, were tough to believe in 2003, when comparing the two stars.

Looking closer at their achievements, it becomes clear just how outrageous Roddick’s claim sounded, as the American had won 14 Slam titles.

Arguing that someone who had never won a Slam, never reached number one, and won just the one Masters 1000 title was more talented in any way than Sampras was bold to say the least.

History now tells us, however, that Roddick was right all along, as Federer surpassed Sampras by quite some distance.

There is no doubt that Federer had one of the greatest tennis careers we will ever see, and it is perhaps time for fans to give Roddick his flowers for predicting such big things for the Swiss star.