Andy Roddick Explains Why Tennis Players Are Better 'Athletes' Than NBA Players
Andy Roddick Explains Why Tennis Players Are Better 'Athletes' Than NBA Players originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
One of the fastest servers on the ATP tour in his day, 2003 U.S. Open champ Andy Roddick, has quickly become one of the most beloved players-turned-podcasters among his generation.
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A former world No. 1 in men's singles for 13 weeks, the now-42-year-old won 32 overall titles, and was a runner-up to 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in four other major finals.
Now, he's the host of the very entertaining podcast, "Served With Andy Roddick."
During his latest episode, a recap of a star-laden French Open weekend, Roddick made a bold claim: that tennis players are the best athletes on the planet. Roddick specifically came after the NBA, long seen as a home for some of the world's fittest people.
"I think tennis players are the best athletes in the world. Five hours and 40-something minutes on the biggest [stage]," Roddick said of the marathon five-set French Open men's final on Sunday, between the world's top two players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
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Alcaraz eventually rallied to outlast Sinner, claiming his second straight French Open championship and his fifth Grand Slam title at just 22 years old.
Andy Roddick (USA) watches Roger Federer (SUI) celebrate after defeating Roddick in the mens' singles final round 2009 Wimbledon© Offside Sports-Imagn Images
"You compare this to other sports," Roddick continued. "An NBA game is 48 minutes played in air conditioning, where you have teammates, halftime, timeouts. To say one thing doesn't mean you're throwing shade at something else."
Roddick makes an intriguing claim here when it comes to pure endurance.
Still, is there any way that, say, the 6-foot Alcaraz could summon the vertical aptitude necessary to leap above the rim for a dunk or block? Could he beat speed demons like Ja Morant on a fast break?
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"I'm celebrating and applauding one set of athletes. It's the most complete examination of an athlete that I can think of. We used to get viewed as, 'Oh, you're soft, like [a] country club sport.' I don't know that that narrative exists," Roddick asserted.
The athleticism on display is certainly impressive in both sports. The comparison between a team sport like basketball and an individual sport like tennis is understandably apples-to-oranges.
"I don't know how you can watch and not say the athleticism that is on display is otherworldly," Roddick posited. "I think tennis players are the best athletes in the world. The more I watch it, the more I think it. Tell me why I'm wrong."
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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