Andy Roddick Weighs in on Jannik Sinner’s Rome Return
Former world No. 1 and US Open winner Andy Roddick returns to predict and provide his insights for the ATP Tour and WTA for Betway this Spring.
Roddick, who was known on Tour for having the biggest serve during his time on Tour, has transitioned brilliantly into a commentator and podcast host.
The 42-year-old, who won an impressive 32 titles during his career, had some great thoughts on the eve of the 2025 Aussie Open.
Big Names Struggling for Form at Miami Open
A few big names are searching for their best tennis at the Miami Open. Alexander Zverev himself has admitted he hasn’t been at his best since Australia. And Novak Djokovic? It almost feels like we’d have to go back to the ’90s to find the last time he lost in the first round of two straight tournaments.
Some of these guys have made deep runs at the Australian Open recently, so the form is there—it’s just a matter of finding that extra edge.
Before Indian Wells, I said the tournament was wide open with Jannik Sinner out. And sure enough, we ended up with Jack Draper (the 13th seed) and Holger Rune (the 12th seed) in the final—something we haven’t seen since the early 2000s. If you’re in the field right now, you’ve got to feel like there’s a real chance to make a deep run.
Jack Draper’s Rapid Improvement
Draper was outstanding in Indian Wells. His fitness, his backhand—so many parts of his game have leveled up. A lot of people reduce his game to “big lefty serve,” but that’s lazy analysis. He was breaking serve constantly, and his return positioning looked a lot like where Rafa Nadal used to stand.
I love how Draper is going about things, but I’m not going to jump the gun and say he’s fully arrived as a top player just yet. If I’m him, I’m thinking: “I’ve shown I can beat anyone. I took down Alcaraz in a tournament he loves, I’ve made a Slam semi.”
The next step is proving he can go deep in a major and handle the grind of five-set tennis. For me, that moment came at the 2003 Australian Open when I won back-to-back five-setters and clawed my way back from two sets and a break down. There’s a confidence that comes with knowing your body can handle that.
Draper’s starting to believe, and it’s happening fast. In Australia, even when he wasn’t at his best, he survived those five-setters, showing his body can take the wear and tear. That wasn’t a given before.
Now, can he translate this to clay? We don’t know. But heading into Roland Garros, he’s right there in that next tier below Sinner. And for my money, there’s no reason he can’t push his way even higher.
Rome Sets the Stage for Sinner’s Comeback
Jannik Sinner’s return at the Italian Open is going to be electric. The home crowd in Rome will go absolutely crazy. He’s a national hero at this point, and they haven’t seen him live since he became the best player in the world.
I’m not worried about the noise surrounding his return—he’s been dealing with that since the U.S. Open and has won two Slams in that time. Locker-room respect is there, even if some people have issues with the inconsistency of doping protocols. You might get a few trolls online trying to stir things up, but Sinner isn’t the type to walk in with a chip on his shoulder.
That said, coming back on clay—probably his least favorite surface—after a long layoff isn’t ideal. You can’t just be out for three months and expect to pick up exactly where you left off. Maybe it’s like riding a bike, but match fitness is different. His prep for Roland Garros is definitely going to be affected.
Zverev Faces an Uphill Battle
I don’t think Zverev is feeling extra pressure with Sinner out—his focus is probably just on getting through his next match in Miami. But his situation is tough. At this point, for him, it’s Slam-or-bust.
He had a great Australian Open, made the final, but people still only talk about how he hasn’t won a major. That’s rough. I can relate. It’s like no one cares about all his semi-finals anymore. That’s got to be frustrating.
Mirra Andreeva: A Future World No. 1
Mirra Andreeva keeps proving why she’s special. What stands out most is how she holds her own physically against the best players in the world. At 17, that’s not easy—especially when you’re up against powerhouses like Sabalenka and Swiatek.
Her serve has taken a huge leap in the past few months, and she’s hitting her forehand crosscourt with real authority. Her movement is already elite, and her tennis IQ has never been in question—which is crazy to say about someone so young.
A month ago, I said on our show that I see her as a future No. 1, and I stand by it. I’m not going to start throwing around Steffi Graf comparisons just yet, but if she keeps playing like this, she’ll be a serious contender sooner rather than later.
She’s already comfortable on all surfaces—she had a great Roland Garros run last year—and she’s proving she can hang with the best. It’s only a matter of time before she’s in the mix for the biggest titles.
Swiatek’s Response Wasn’t Necessary
Iga Swiatek has been in the headlines after nearly hitting a ball kid with a ball, but honestly, she didn’t need to make a long social media post about it. She’s a thoughtful person, and I don’t think anyone saw it as a deliberate act. A simple “My bad, I messed up” would’ve been enough.
She’s already had to deal with plenty, including the false doping rumors that were later cleared up. That whole situation would’ve been a nightmare—imagine getting an email saying you tested positive for something like melatonin by accident? No one wants to go through that.
As for her actual tennis, she’s been solid this year—semi-finals in Australia, semi-finals in Indian Wells—and she hasn’t even gotten to clay yet, where she’s basically unbeatable. If anyone wants to bet against her at the French Open, I’ll happily take that bet.
