Podcast Summary

Podcast: Served with Andy Roddick
Episode: 2025 US OPEN MEN'S FINAL PREVIEW & WOMEN'S FINAL REACTION
Date: September 7, 2025
Hosts: Andy Roddick, Jon Wertheim (and guest/contributors)

Main Theme

A lively discussion recapping the 2025 US Open Women’s Final (Sabalenka vs. Anisimova) and previewing the hotly anticipated Men’s Final featuring Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The episode blends personal anecdotes, technical breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes color from Andy and the crew, capturing both the emotional highs and tactical nuances of the tournament’s closing weekend.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Clinic Recap & Tennis Legends Vibes (01:27–03:23)

• Andy Roddick shares a story from a star-studded tennis clinic including Agassi, Connors, Tracy Austin, Lindsay Davenport, Rajiv Ram, and himself.
  • “They added a little sprinkling of Agassi today in there. Yep. Agassi, Connors, me, Tracy Austin, Lindsey Davenport…” (01:47)
  • Breaks down an informal game of ‘dingles’ with Andre Agassi, Tracy Austin and Rajiv Ram:
    • “So we have a pickup game. Me, Andre versus Tracy and Rajiv. And we just ripped it for, like, 30 minutes. It was awesome. It was the best.” (02:51)
    • Best highlight: “Rajiv smoked me. Like Andre firmed up... This little fadeaway thing... it was just so much fun.” (03:05)

2. Women’s Final Reaction: Sabalenka vs. Anisimova (03:28–09:10)

• Praise for Amanda Anisimova

  • Andy believes Anisimova will win a Grand Slam.
    • “Anna Samova is going to win a Grand Slam. She's going to win a Grand Slam. Like, in your... your heart breaks.” (03:28)
  • Discusses the heartbreak of coming up short, the pressures, and the growth she's shown.

• Sabalenka’s Resilience & Mental Fortitude

  • Details the narrative: Sabalenka as World No.1, frequent Slam favorite, previously faltering at key moments, finally getting over the hurdle.
    • “Sabalenka. That's some mental fortitude there, man. Like, loses Australia when she's a favorite, loses the French when she's the favorite, loses to Anisimova when she's the favorite at Wimbledon. Number one in the world gets one more shot…” (03:49)
  • Describes the championship point and Sabalenka’s tactical improvements:
    • “She knew going in that as soon as it came with pace, she was turning to the open court. Didn't think twice about it… It was just fantastic.” (04:41)
  • Technical shoutout to coach Max Mirnyi (“The Beast”) for helping Sabalenka “level set” and make adjustments.

• Ceremony Dynamics & Emotional Toll

  • Andy sympathizes with Anisimova’s emotional on-stage moment:
    • “You can see her stepping up to the mic and, like, just... the goal is, like, to get through it without breaking down.” (05:57)
  • Questions the way tennis ceremonies prolong the pain:
    • “Do we need to hand her millions of dollars publicly? Like, that's a weird thing…” (07:06)
    • Suggests a more dignified, shorter exit for runner-ups.

• Respect for Both Finalists

  • “Irina Sabalenka is just a badass. Like, she's, she's so good… All the success, you know, and now she's kind of marching along... she's marching up on like some massive names for all-time slam count.” (07:39)
  • Expresses hope for Anisimova’s future slam breakthrough:
    • “I hope Anna Samova has that moment. I know a lot of tennis fans do. I think she'll get there and it'll be sweeter when she does.” (08:41)

3. Men’s Final Preview: Alcaraz vs. Sinner (09:10–11:44)

• A Rivalry at Its Peak

  • “Oh, Sinner, Alcaraz play tomorrow. Oh, yeah. Oh, those guys.” (09:10)
  • Andy shifts seamlessly to preview the men's final.

• Technical Breakdowns

  • On Sinner’s Serve Needs:
    • “He’s going to have to serve more than 47% first serves. The serve is not in rhythm and maybe he fixes it… He’s corrected because he used to be platform server, moved to the one foot up… it’s been a massive improvement. Right. But... can't serve a low first serve percentage like he did during Wimbledon.” (09:13)
  • On Stylistic Matchup:
    • “I think it’s like the algorithm versus the artist, right? It’s like input, output… Sinner is just an absolute machine and Alcaraz is going to have to figure out a way to get it out of his pocket…” (10:20)
    • “Alcaraz… the transition game is, is, is insane. Will he be able to do that with the ball speed and strength of Jannik Sinner?” (10:37)
  • Uncertain Edge, No Obvious Favorite:
    • “No one… unless they both serve 45%, someone serves 60%, someone serves under 50. The one person under 50 ain’t going to win.” (10:46)
    • “The IBM Watson X likelihood to win currently is at 56% in favor of Alcaraz. You know what I mean? It’s basically what we saw today with the women, you know, 55, 45.” (10:57)

• Head-to-Head and Predictions:

  • “They play this match 10 times, it’s gonna be 6, 4, 5, 5. Like who? Like we’re guessing.” (11:16)
  • “Alcaraz is leading nine wins to five in the head to head… but it’s… they're both in flow right now.” (11:36)

4. Behind the Scenes: Atmosphere at the US Open (11:44–14:38)

• Tournament Energy: From Frenzied to Empty

  • “Walking in the locker room today. It’s like a ghost town, right? So you get there on day one, it’s just buzzing. It’s a train station… You walk in today, there's no one.” (11:56)
  • Discusses what it's like for the few remaining players: “The biggest matches of a tournament and all the energy in the building... but then like you go to like the, the players lounge, the credentialed areas and it’s like, really?” (12:57)

• Player Day-of Routines

  • “I saw Alcaraz earlier... he doesn't need to hit much… he’s getting some body work done. Like, he’s so relaxed, dude…” (13:30)
  • Joke about the obsessive nature of pre-final prep:
    • “They want to eat what they eat and have their guy count the calories and the electrolytes… their night by, you know, in their hyperbaric chambers by 10pm you know, right.” (14:10)
    • Followed by a playful reference to the WWE’s Undertaker: “I imagine them waking up in the morning, it’s just like a hyperbaric chamber… You remember the Undertaker from WWE?” (14:38)

5. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Andy Roddick, On Sabalenka’s Breakthrough:
  • “You could see when she won… she took her time. You could tell that was a lot of stress relief right from the year and when it didn’t go so well. And I think when you have that disappointment, it makes these moments... better, more special.” (05:21)
• On Runner-Up’s Ceremony:
  • “It just feels like… I just felt so bad when she had to step up to the mic and come up.” (07:18)
• On Alcaraz-Sinner Rivalry:
  • “These guys know each other, they know how to play each other… It’s about execution.” (10:44)
• Lighthearted Banter:
  • “Didn’t think we were going to get to an Undertaker reference, but here we are.” (15:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:27] – Star-Studded Clinic Shenanigans
• [03:28] – Women’s Final Technical and Emotional Analysis
• [06:00] – Trophy Ceremony: Format and Emotional Impact
• [09:10] – Men’s Final Preview: Technical Breakdown and Odds
• [11:44] – Backstage at the US Open: Vibe & Player Preparations
• [14:38] – Hyperbaric Chambers and WWE Undertaker Gags

Tone & Style

Conversational, witty, and insider-y. Andy and co-hosts blend serious tennis insight with self-deprecating humor, tennis shop talk, genuine empathy for players, and candid thoughts about the traditions and quirks of the sport.

Takeaways

• Sabalenka’s win was a testament to perseverance, team adjustments, and mental strength after high-stakes disappointments.
• Anisimova’s pain is real, but signs point to an eventual major victory.
• The Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry is tennis at its peak – essentially a toss-up, with stylistic and technical nuances that could tip the final either direction.
• The US Open atmosphere morphs drastically in finals weekend—from crowded chaos to near-isolation for the last competitors.
• The show's charm comes from blending technical analysis with playful, accessible banter and a look behind the curtain at top-level tennis.