'Let's enjoy greatness while it's still here': Andy Roddick marvels at continued Novak Djokovic longevity, picks US Open final

Former US Open champion Andy Roddick offered his trademark sharp insight on the QuickServe podcast, as the year’s final major hurtles toward its climax. With the women’s and men’s semi-finals taking shape, Roddick broke down the standout performances, looming clashes, and tactical battles that could decide the title.

Roddick opened by saluting Aryna Sabalenka for her victory over Jessica Pegula at the US Open, though he couldn’t help but highlight Pegula’s humor in defeat. “Props to Aryna Sabalenka for getting through Jess Pegula. But the MVP of the day might go to Jess’s picture with a Honey Deuce and the caption: ‘When you lose four points on your own serve in the third set, but still lose the match.’ She’s hilarious. She’s awesome. I think the entire stadium was pulling for her,” Roddick said on Served.

While praising Pegula’s rise, Roddick stressed Sabalenka’s growing stature in the sport. “She’s going to be one of the all-time greats. If your list is 10 players, she’s quickly working her way up.”

Her next challenge comes in a rematch of the Wimbledon semi-final against Amanda Anisimova. Roddick described Anisimova’s resurgence as remarkable: “She’s tough, there’s no way around it. Think about what she’s gone through the last five, six years personally. She lost love and love in a Wimbledon final, then came back to beat Swiatek, and then scrapped and clawed her way past Naomi Osaka—who’s resurgent. The optimism for Osaka is obvious. She’s a champion, but this was the first time she’s ever lost after making it past the round of 16, which is a Looney Tunes-type stat.”

Despite leaning toward Sabalenka as the favorite, Roddick laughed at his own record: “Don’t listen to me, because I’ve missed every single pick on the women’s side for this entire tournament.”

The Blockbuster: Djokovic vs. Alcaraz

On the men’s side, the headline clash is Novak Djokovic against Carlos Alcaraz. Their semi-final has been scheduled for the afternoon session, which raised some eyebrows.

“It surprised some that Carlos and Novak weren’t scheduled at night. I’m assuming some requests were made with recovery times in mind—especially looking toward a potential final,” Roddick said.

While he believes Alcaraz enters as the slight favorite, Roddick reminded listeners of Djokovic’s pedigree. “He’s won 24 Grand Slams and is still playing great. He beat Carlos in the finals of the Olympics last year on a surface that’s not his favorite. And if you go back to January, Novak beat Carlos on a hard court.”

The tactical nuances, Roddick suggested, could make all the difference: “Novak’s been serving and volleying a little more this tournament, using it as a mix-up. He’s got that nice little swing serve on the deuce side to open up the court. He’ll want Carlos hitting a bunch of backhand passing shots. He’ll try to control things through the middle of the court, not letting Carlos work his magic from the edges.”