Andy Roddick has been a huge voice in the tennis community long since his 2012 retirement from tennis.
A top player who was so often thwarted by the Big Three, Roger Federer remained his long-term nemesis, as he could just not get past the 42-year-old master.
The two faced off 24 times, and the American would win just three times.
And now, chatting on his podcast, he seemingly has another reason to be jealous of the man who thwarted him in four Grand Slam finals too.
Andy Roddick on huge Roger Federer payday
Speaking about the financial side of the sport for a period, the former world number one, speaking on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, briefly touched on Federer.
As the eldest of the historic ‘Big Three’, he was the first to burst onto the scene, and had dominated the scene well before Rafael Nadal emerged to spoil his party.
So, with that additional clout, plus the added benefit that he was such a cool customer, he commanded a hefty sum to associate with.
Roddick has since revealed that one brand was happy to do so late in Federer’s career, noting: ‘I think Roger, at the end of his career, had a lifetime deal with Hala, and I can only imagine what that would be. We’re talking millions and millions and millions of dollars. So it’s this kind of complete open market Wild West thing for appearance fees.’
Roger Federer continues to thrive with UNIQLO
As one of the coolest, classiest and greatest tennis players of all time, it is no surprise to see him continue thriving when it comes to brand deals having since retired.
Calling time on his sparkling career in 2022, this came just four years after he had signed a lucrative deal with Japanese brand UNIQLO, who formerly sponsored Novak Djokovic.
Having spent the bulk of his career with Nike, Mike Nakajima, who was director at the company for 29 years, admitted allowing him to switch was an ‘atrocity’.
He claimed: ‘That should never have happened. For us to let somebody like that go.’
Having since become the face of UNIQLO, that partnership has continued well into his retirement, with Federer pictured in Paris ahead of Roland Garros to promote the brand.
It seems the Swiss superstar remains as marketable as ever, and it was clear that Hala knew that by offering him such a lucrative deal during the twilight of his career.
To be associated with someone as clean and classy as Federer is always going to be a positive.
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