Andy Roddick gives his opinion on the current state of tennis after the Australian Open finishes

Follow us on Google Discover

The 2026 Australian Open is over, but there’s plenty more tennis to look forward to this year.

It was a great tournament for Elena Rybakina and Carlos Alcaraz, who won their first Australian Open titles, defeating Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic in the respective finals.

Both finals and the men’s semifinals were thrilling, as the Australian Open caught fire at just the right moment.

Who surprised you the most at the Australian Open this year?

Did they surprise you in a positive or negative way?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

As the stars of the ATP and WTA Tours leave the country, we’re left wondering what’s next for tennis in 2026.

During the latest episode of ‘Served with Andy Roddick‘, the former world number one gave his verdict on the current state of tennis post Australian Open.

Andy Roddick says tennis is ‘winning’ after successful Australian Open

“Tennis is just winning right now. And it feels like I say it at the end of every Slam,” said Roddick.

“You are taking what Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe started building, and the visions they had, and it grows and grows.

“It had its moment in the 80’s when [John] McEnroe sold more sneakers than Larry Bird for a while, and it ebbs and flows.

“Now it just feels like, on the backs of the previous generation, it’s just going!

“Nobody looks at it right now, and the way players dress, and thinks it’s that antiquated sport. It’s the sport that is stuck in the moment.”

Roddick loves how the sport continues to innovate, while remaining rooted in history.

“It’s crazy! And that’s what we want,” he said.

“The game is the same. We have historical context.

“We have all this new, cool s— and we can still talk about how Carlos [Alcaraz] compares to Ivan Lendl.

List of men’s Grand Slam winners (Open Era)

“It’s fantastic.

“It’s such a great spot for the sport to be in.”

Tennis has changed over the years, but for the most part, the changes have been for the better, not for the worse.

For example, at the US Open last year, tournament directors completely revamped the mixed doubles event.

Scheduling the event across two days, multiple big names, including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, and Iga Swiatek, signed up to play.

The tournament was a major success, and those who criticised the lack of doubles players invited were left happy, too, when Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori defended their title.

Following in the US Open’s footsteps, the Australian Open brought in several top-10 players to entertain fans before the singles tournaments began.

Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, and Jannik Sinner all entered the ‘One Point Slam’, which, as the name suggests, consisted of matches that lasted one point.

Taking home the million-dollar prize, amateur Jordan Smith won the One Point Slam.

Like the US Open mixed doubles change-up, the One Point Slam received mostly positive reviews and is expected to return in 2027.

As Roddick said, tennis is winning right now, but that doesn’t mean the sport is perfect.

There are still several problems that need to be resolved.

Three problems tennis needs to fix

Schedule

How many times are we going to have this conversation before something actually changes?

Players continue to share just how demanding the tour schedule is on their bodies, but the powers that be don’t seem ready to listen.

Several high-profile players, including Holger Rune, are out for an extended period, largely due to the congested schedule.

It’s about time that the ATP and WTA Tours put player welfare first and make a change.

Money

Players are also frustrated about the prize money they receive at Grand Slams.

They believe the four major tournaments aren’t sharing their revenues fairly with the players.

In 2025, players sent a letter to the Grand Slams proposing a fairer revenue split, although it’s unclear how much progress has been made.

Engagement

Fans have been glued to the TV watching the action at the Australian Open, just as they will for the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

The issue is keeping fans engaged for the duration of the near 24/7, 365-day-a-year tennis calendar.

Are those same fans who watched the Australian Open tuning into the Abu Dhabi Open or the Open Occitanie in France?

For the most part… Probably not.

That’s a problem, and if tennis wants to take the next step and become even more popular, it needs to find a way to maintain fan interest throughout the year.