Andy Roddick is the latest American male player to win a major singles title after his US Open triumph in 2003.
It has been a controversial beginning to the Paris Olympics, with three of the men’s top 10 players withdrawing after Alex de Minaur became the latest to fall on Sunday morning.
With top seed Jannik Sinner pulling out of Paris through illness and numerous others dropping out at the last minute, the process by which players have been replaced has come under scrutiny.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic bulldozed his way past Australian alternate Matthew Ebden, losing just one game in a 53 minute thrashing.
Djokovic criticised the process by which Olympic alternates are selected as well, with Ebden technically unranked coming to the tie, having not played singles for over two years.
What did Andy Roddick say about the ‘ridiculous’ Olympic rule?
The outspoken former number one Andy Roddick has enjoyed his retirement from the game and now hosts a regular podcast, as well as keeping his many followers up to date with his opinions and analysis.
With De Minaur and Cam Norrie’s withdrawals gifting further unranked players into the main Olympics draw, the American took to X to air his frustrations.
He said: “The Olympics singles alternate situation is ridiculous. Players that don’t even/can’t play singles at highest level getting the call is dumb.”
Clearly furious at the situation, Roddick echoed Djokovic and Ebden’s sentiments that this process was wildly unhelpful.
The strange process is not doing anything but undermine the prestige the Olympics possess, as lop-sided matches give a hopeful crowd very little to get behind.
How has this affected other matches so far at the Paris Olympics?
The rules currently mean that any players that withdraw from singles after July 19, can only be replaced by players already competing in another event, which has resulted in doubles players being forced to play in the singles competition.
Carlos Alcaraz’s opening round match came to a speedy conclusion after he faced the alternate world number 275 Hady Habib, with the 21-year-old Wimbledon champion cruising through with minimal bother.
With Holger Rune and Hubert Hurkacz absent through injury, the world number 1196 Robin Haase was brought in to play Sebastian Ofner in the opening round, with the Dutchman having not played a singles match yet this year.
With Norrie the latest to fall, the brother of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Petros, who is currently ranked 1491, was brought in to face Tallon Griekspoor.
Roddick certainly looks to have a good point with the top stars barely having to try to move past their incredibly low-ranking, and inexperienced opponents.
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