Andy Roddick retired from tennis at the 2012 US Open, aged 30.
The former world number one announced his intentions to retire from tennis after winning his first-round match at the US Open 13 years ago.
Prolonging his retirement, Roddick defeated Bernard Tomic and Fabio Fognini to qualify for the last 16 at Flushing Meadows.
Unfortunately for the American, it was there that his career came to an end, as Roddick lost to Juan Martin del Potro in four sets.
Reacting to Roddick’s retirement during her post-match press conference on the same day, Serena Williams shared her thoughts on the 2003 US Open champion.
Serena Williams described Andy Roddick as a ‘legendary player’ when he retired
Following her win over Ana Ivanovic in the quarterfinals, Williams was asked the following question about Roddick.
“You said a little bit on court that you were emotional seeing Andy [Roddick] walk off. Did you get a little teary-eyed like everybody else in the place?” the reporter asked.
Williams responded with her honest thoughts on the former world number one.
“Yeah, for sure, it’s the end of a great player, a legendary player,” she said.
“Definitely was upstairs thinking, Gosh, last time this happened was Andre Agassi.
“How many more of these do I have to sit through? It was great.”
Williams was then asked if she was confident that another American male would step up and win Grand Slam titles in Roddick’s absence.
“Yeah, I don’t know,” she said.
“I think there are some great American tennis players doing well on the junior circuit.
Higher or Lower – Tennis Grand Slam Quiz
“You have to do well in the juniors sometimes before you become good on the professional level.
“Maybe there are some players.”
22 years since Roddick won his one and only Grand Slam title at the US Open, no American man has managed to replicate his success.
As the wait goes on, who on the ATP Tour is most likely to end the American drought in 2026?
Which American male is most likely to win a Grand Slam?
The two obvious picks are Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton, the only American players ranked inside the ATP top 10.
| Rank | Name | Age | Country |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | 22 | Spain |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | 24 | Italy |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | 28 | Germany |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | 38 | Serbia |
| 5 | Felix Auger-Aliassime | 25 | Canada |
| 6 | Taylor Fritz | 28 | USA |
| 7 | Alex de Minaur | 26 | Australia |
| 8 | Lorenzo Musetti | 23 | Italy |
| 9 | Ben Shelton | 23 | USA |
| 10 | Jack Draper | 23 | Great Britain |
Fritz became the first American male to reach a Grand Slam final since Roddick, when he lost to Jannik Sinner at Flushing Meadows in 2024.
He failed to return to a championship match this year, but looked impressive at Wimbledon, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling four-set semifinal.
Five years younger than Fritz, Shelton is still finding his footing at the top level, but he himself has already played two Grand Slam semifinals.
Losing to Sinner in Melbourne earlier this year, Shelton missed out on a Grand Slam final debut, but continued to impress throughout 2025.
Who will be the biggest disappointment at the 2026 Australian Open?
They aren’t the only players to look out for, however, as there are currently 15 Americans ranked inside the top 100.
Every American player in the top 100
- 1. Taylor Fritz #6
- 2. Ben Shelton #9
- 3. Tommy Paul #20
- 4. Learner Tien #28
- 5. Frances Tiafoe #30
- 6. Brando Nakashima #33
- 7. Alex Michelsen #38
- 8. Sebastian Korda #48
- 9. Reilly Opelka #50
- 10. Jenson Brooksby #53
- 11. Aleksandar Kovacevic #61
- 12. Marcos Giron #65
- 13. Ethan Quinn #70
- 14. Emilio Nava #88
- 15. Eliot Spizzirri #90
Only time will tell if any of the above can win a Grand Slam in 2026, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Perhaps the likes of Shelton, Fritz, and Tommy Paul can challenge for the title at the 2026 Australian Open, which begins on Sunday, January 18.
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