Take a trip down memory lane, and you’ll remember the era of American ace Andy Roddick: a powerhouse on the court with thunderous serves and blistering strokes. But off the court? Well, he’s just as electric, known for his razor-sharp wit. And among his biggest admirers is none other than Chris Evert, with whom he shares a long-running history of playful banter. Whether defending each other online or exchanging quips, their camaraderie is unmatched off the court. Remember how Roddick defended Evert on X when a fan had a go at her for pronouncing Qinwen Zheng’s name wrong at the US Open? Well, their latest social media moment has fans buzzing again.
Though both Roddick and Evert have retired, the former has always got Evert’s back, proving time and again that their friendship goes beyond the court. One such moment came when Evert and Martina Navratilova visited the MD Anderson Cancer Center to honor Dr. Rachel L. Dittmar for winning the ‘American Cancer Society’s fellowship’ funded by the WTA. A heartwarming video of the occasion surfaced on X and Roddick responded in a heartwarming fashion, writing, “Amazing ,” highlighting his admiration for Evert’s efforts off the court.
Another memorable moment occurred back in 2023 when Evert defended Roddick after a website misquoted him. The former ATP no. 1 had praised Carlos Alcaraz as the most complete 19-year-old player he had ever seen, but the media twisted his words to suggest he was claiming Alcaraz was superior to Rafael Nadal and Novak Djoković. Roddick quickly shut down the misinformation, urging outlets to quote him accurately, and Evert backed him up, stressing the importance of ‘journalistic integrity’ in sports. Their playful dynamic on social media continues. However, this time, Roddick’s unexpected presence at Palm Beach left Evert stunned and thoroughly entertained.
Recently, former WTA No. 1 Kim Clijsters took to IG to share two hilarious photos of Andy Roddick, playfully captioning, “Spotted this hitchhiker in Palm Beach, anyone recognizes them? ” while tagging the former US Open champion in her post. The pictures showed Roddick amusingly posing by the roadside, seemingly trying to hitch a ride: a sight fans didn’t expect! As soon as the post went live, 18-time GS champion Chris Evert couldn’t hold back her reaction. Clearly taken aback by Roddick’s unexpected stranded traveler moment, Evert chimed in saying: “Oh, come on!!!!!!,” adding another layer of humor to the already viral post! But, why is Andy in Palm Beach?
The Breakers unveiled their state-of-the-art tennis and racket complex recently, for both tennis and pickleball. And they hosted an unforgettable exhibition match featuring four tennis icons: Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Andy Roddick, and Kim Clijsters. With a combined 35 GS singles titles, these legends lit up the courts in a thrilling mixed doubles showdown as part of the resort’s much-anticipated Slam Weekend. The 2-day celebration, packed with elite competition and star-studded events, kicked off with Friday’s match on one of the facility’s pristine grass courts, with Emmy Award-winning comedian Michael Kosta serving as the umpire.
Although Roddick and Evert’s friendship appeared strong in the comment section of Kim Clijsters’ IG post, these two ex-American pros previously disagreed with each other publicly and had a strong argument.
When Chris Evert countered Andy Roddick’s opinion on coaching
Former players seamlessly transitioning into coaching is not an unfamiliar scenario in tennis. Boris Becker guiding the Serbian Novak Djokovic to seven GS titles, Ivan Lendl steering Andy Murray to three majors, and Carlos Moya playing a pivotal role in Rafael Nadal’s eight GS triumphs are some of the notable examples. However, not all ex-players find the switch as fulfilling or effective in the coaching journey.
On June 18, 2023, Andy Roddick sparked this debate by calling out what he perceived as a trend of “lazy” former players turning to coaching without true dedication. Taking to social media, the former US Open champion questioned the increasing prevalence of such transitions, adding, “I’m always amazed at the frequency of seeing people who didn’t work that hard in their playing days becoming coaches. Seems like the effort is the one thing that would be a prerequisite for coaching ……. Would be hard to hire someone who had a reputation as kinda lazy.”
Roddick’s remark left the tennis world buzzing. However, he immediately got a response from Chris Evert who shared her opinion on the matter. “Maybe they realized after they retired and took a closer look at their careers how important it was? It’s like… top players don’t always make the best coaches. Just a thought!” Evert replied in the comments.
Roddick responded back, saying, “Definitely agree re top players not being a lock as a good coach. Less about ability in this conversation I guess. I would have just had a hard time listening fully to someone who didn’t leave it out there. Probably my issue but would’ve been hard for me,”.
Though they held differing opinions at that time, their deep-rooted friendship remained unshaken. Given both of them are opinionated personalities, fans can expect more playful banter and lighthearted exchanges between these two American legends.
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