Andy Roddick enjoyed a fine tennis career, laden with titles, and capped off with a US Open triumph in 2003.
However, it always felt like he could have done more, and were it not for the Big Three, and Roger Federer in particular, that certainly would have been the case.
Regardless, he still made a vast fortune from the sport, and has since translated his talents into punditry with ease.
That being said, there is one moment in that illustrious career that he does not look back fondly on, which he would now reveal.
Andy Roddick regrets one thing in his tennis career
Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the former world number one reminisced about his career, but pointed out one moment of regret.
And, ironically enough for a man who lost four Grand Slam finals and could never quite overcome the threat of the Big Three, it is about a decision he made rather than a match he lost.
He told the story: ‘Like I said, the Abu Dhabi thing, I got the biggest appearance fee of my life, right? And it’s like, you know, close to half a million dollars to show up for an exhibition. I show up 2009.
‘I think there’s six players in the draw. They also pulled in Fed Nadal that year. It was like murderers row of an exo, and no one’s played a match coming in.
‘Like this is how obscene the money is and how source-dependent it is. I go out full off-season of training, high expectations, play Nikolai Davydenko, and no one’s there, by the way. It’s all marketing.
‘I was probably a participant in sports washing before I understood what it was, Jon.
‘Yeah, totally, completely guilty. But I didn’t even know it, honestly. I didn’t know it.
‘I go out and lose 2 and 2 to Davydenko. I think I was on the court for 48 minutes. Doesn’t change my appearance fee.’
The Middle East is taking over tennis
Whilst his story is from well over a decade ago, it actually is rather telling that Middle Eastern influences in tennis had begun to creep in long before Sportswashing among other claims became a part of the common lexicon.
Nowadays, football, golf, boxing and now tennis all boast huge influences from countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and more.
This is abundantly evident in the latter, with the ATP world rankings having since been rebranded to the PIF ATP Rankings, as well as Saudi Arabia now being set to host the end-of-year WTA Finals for the next three years.
Rafael Nadal has become an ambassador for Saudi Arabia too, and is expected to take part in the lucrative Six Kings Slam, an exhibition tournament during a rammed October schedule which will also include Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.
There is a clear drive to try and increase sporting interest in these Middle Eastern countries, but there will always be those who oppose it.
Roddick, despite feeding into it during his playing days, is clearly one of them.
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