5 SETTER: Novak Talks Retirement, Cincinnati Stacked, WTA's New Policy, & More

Summary

Served with Andy Roddick — Episode Summary

Podcast: Served with Andy Roddick

Episode: 5 SETTER: Novak Talks Retirement, Cincinnati Stacked, WTA's New Policy, & More
Date: July 24, 2026
Host: Producer Mike (with interview from Jon Wertheim)

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Episode Overview

In this week’s rapid-fire “5 Setter” episode, Producer Mike delivers the latest tennis headlines in ten minutes. He discusses:

• The French Open’s groundbreaking revenue-sharing proposal for players
• Novak Djokovic’s public hints about retirement
• The WTA’s new mandatory gene testing policy
• Ultra-competitive player lineups for the Cincinnati Open
• A preview of the return of the DC Open
  Special guest Jon Wertheim offers insider insight on player demands and Grand Slam negotiations.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. French Open's Revolutionary Revenue Sharing Announcement

([01:32] – [06:28])

• The French Open becomes the first Grand Slam to propose revenue sharing with players.
• Recent coordinated efforts by the top players have pressured all four Slams to consider revenue sharing, consultation on tournament operations, and pension contributions.
• Jon Wertheim (JW) details what the players want:

  “They want a percentage of gross revenue. So when tournaments increase in scale, the players will see in that upside.” – Jon Wertheim [02:35]

• Other Slams (Wimbledon, US Open) have resisted, with All England Club being especially opposed:

  “We’ve been running this tournament pretty well for more than 100 years. We’re not going to change our business model because a couple top players are upset.” – told to Jon Wertheim by All England Club, relayed by Wertheim [03:40]

• Wertheim cautions that the French Open’s proposal looks good on paper but may be complex in practice:

  “I was told, be careful what you wish for, because this is not as simple as, hey, listen, we made $400 million and you want 8% of that. You know, here’s $32 million.” – Jon Wertheim [05:59]

• Proposal’s “accounting tricks” may limit the real money going to players depending on how revenue gets defined.

2. Novak Djokovic’s Latest Remarks on Retirement

([08:30] – [09:20])

• At a Fanatics event in New York, Djokovic gave a rare, candid response about the end of his career:

  “The moment is approaching, no question it’s closer than ever… I don’t know when the end is coming for Novak, but I’m sure as hell that when it comes, it comes fast.” – Novak Djokovic [08:49]

• Despite speculation, Djokovic remains a top 10 player and reached the Australian Open final and Wimbledon semifinal in 2026.
• Novak’s stated ambition to carry Serbia’s flag at the LA28 Olympics suggests he plans to compete at least two more years.

3. WTA’s New Mandatory Gene Testing Policy

([09:21] – [10:04])

• The WTA introduces a one-time, mandatory test for the SRY gene (Y chromosome marker for male sex development) for all players.
• Players testing positive cannot compete on the women’s tour unless they can prove a specific condition to WTA medical staff.
• The policy replaces old guidelines based on testosterone thresholds and aligns with recent moves from World Boxing, World Athletics, and the IOC.

4. Cincinnati Open Entry List: One of the Best-Ever Fields

([10:05] – [11:06])

• For the first time since Indian Wells, every current top 10 male and female player is entered.
• Includes 10 former champions:
  • Women: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Karolina Pliskova
  • Men: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev
• Producer Mike calls it “a heck of a tune-up for the US Open.”

5. DC Open Preview (ATP & WTA 500)

([11:07] – [12:24])

• The only combined ATP/WTA 500 event of the season, kicks off July 27–Aug 2 at Rock Creek Park.
• Men’s field: Defending champ Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton, Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe, Tommy Paul.
• Women’s field: Jessica Pegula, Elina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Layla Fernandez, and Venus Williams (playing doubles with Alex Eala).
• All matches are on Tennis Channel in the US.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Revenue Sharing Debate:

  "I don't think this is quite the bonanza that it appears on paper." – Jon Wertheim [04:37]

• Novak’s Future:

  “But I’m sure as hell that when it comes, it comes fast. So I think he’s right.” – Novak Djokovic, quoting Andre Agassi [08:54]

• Wimbledon’s View:

  "We’re not going to change our business model because a couple of top players are upset." – relayed by Jon Wertheim [03:40]

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Important Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------------------|--------------| | French Open revenue sharing & Wertheim interview | 01:32–06:28 | | Novak hints at retirement | 08:30–09:20 | | WTA gene testing policy announced | 09:21–10:04 | | Cincinnati Open field breakdown | 10:05–11:06 | | DC Open preview | 11:07–12:24 |

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Podcast Tone & Style

• Conversational and informed, balancing news delivery with light humor and sharp tennis insight.
• Producer Mike keeps the segment energetic and to-the-point, ideal for fans seeking a quick weekly tennis update.

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Closing

The episode wraps with tie-break trivia about Andy Roddick’s cameo in an early 2000s teen sitcom (answer teased in their newsletter), and plugs for the podcast’s newsletter and next week’s episode.

For more detail or to catch the full convo with Jon Wertheim, visit servepodcast.com or the podcast’s socials and substack.

Transcript

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[Producer Mike]

What's up Chuckers Producer Mike here. This is the Serve 5 Setter, your weekly roundup of all things racket sports. Five stories in ten minutes or less. But before we get into it, please hit subscribe on YouTube. Give us a follow on your favorite podcast platform so you can stay up to date on all things served. We really appreciate the love and support. That said, Today is July 21st 4th, 2026, and here's what we've got for you. Novak's comments on retiring the WTA's new protocol Cincinnati is stacked and DC is open for biz, but first news broke this week that the French Open has become the first Grand Slam to offer players a share of tournament revenue, the exact model the players have been fighting for in one form or another for years. Recent months have seen a coordinated push from the top players to pressure the four Slams on a list of demands with revenue sharing at the top of it. I hopped on earlier with John Wertheim and asked him what's going on with this announcement and what the players have ultimately been after with all of this.

[John Wertheim]

They want a percentage of Gross revenue. So when tournaments increase in scale, the players will see in that upside. The tournaments have been pretty good about the wage increases. Wimbledon, 20% year over year, raise in the prize money. US Open is supposed to do something similar, which will put them over $100 million. As far as consultation and how tournaments are run, tournaments are all for that. We'd love to have player input, whether it's tennis balls or whether it's roof policy. We'd love player input. We would do that tomorrow a little more grudgingly, but I think they're going to do it, the tournaments. I think the US Open, probably the first, will make contributions to pension plans, no problem. The big sticky point though is percentage of gross revenue and having some sort of tie. Wimbledon was very adamant. It makes no sense was how it was termed. Someone at the All England Club told me even more directly, listen, we've been running this tournament pretty well for more than 100 years. We're not going to change our business model because a couple of top players are upset. And it looks like the US Open is sort of a non starter there as well. The interesting news this week though, is that the French Federation that runs the French Open, Roland Garros, they actually put out a proposal that did have a way that players could have some revenue sharing and that puts pressure on these other events. One thing to know about this, Mike, is that these events, because of collusion, they can't confer with each other. Right. I mean, it would make sense for everyone to sit in a room that is not happening. Not only that, these events really can't even communicate with each other. So these are four separate negotiations that Larry Scott, who's representing the players, is having with each of the four majors. And it's interesting that Roland Garros, which kind of got things rolling, when you'll recall, they did have a prize money increase, but it actually was a lower percent of revenue year over year. That was a huge misread of the room. That was a big problem in a lot of ways. That was what sort of amplified all of these negotiations and media protests and sort of that raised the temperature. So it is a bit ironic that now the French Federation has made this concession on revenue. But I was told by someone who has seen broad strokes of the agreement, I was made privy to those. It's not quite, I don't want to say Trojan Horse, our Odyssey theme this summer. I don't know if it was quite that, but I don't think this is quite the bonanza that it appears on Paper.

[Producer Mike]

What, what is the basis of what you saw and how is it a little bit of a Trojan horse in comparison to just a straight fixed model deal and or a gross revenue deal?

[John Wertheim]

It is all about the accounting and it is all about how these balance sheets are going to be laid out and what counts and what doesn't. And you know, we talk about profit versus revenue, but even revenue, you know, two people can read the same balance sheet very differently. So are things like the marketing budget and capital improvements and all sorts of the other expenses that tournaments have, does that count as revenue? It's interesting to note, I think, you know, honestly, I think a motivation. What's galvanized a lot of this is the Wimbledon expansion, which in theory could realistically make women a billion plus annual event. And when Wimbledon expands to the other side of the street and converts the golf course, its finances change dramatically. The US Open, as anyone who's tried to buy tickets in 2026 knows, some of these, the capital improvements as they were built, are really about having much more expensive club seating. Roland Garris I'm not sure has that financial upside, but again, they made a bold step with this proposal. Remember, Roland Garris essentially met with this group of Larry Scott during the French Open. They met with him after, they said, listen, give us some time, we'll come back with a counter proposal. To their credit, they did. And to their credit, their counter proposal did have this revenue sharing model. But I was told, be careful what you wish for because this is not as simple as, hey, listen, we made $400 million and you want 8% of that. You know, here's $32 million.

[Producer Mike]

That was just a few minutes of a longer conversation with JW1 that also got into the potential of a player boycott of the U.S. open's Knicks doubles event, which was such a success last year. To hear the full conversation, hit the link in the description and sign up for the newsletter.

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[Producer Mike]

Now onto set number two, where the Goat continues to hint at something we've been expecting for some time. We all saw Novak Djokovic popping up at Fanatics Fest in New York this past weekend, hitting punching bags, draining three pointers and crawling out in a luchador style mask. But one thing that went slightly under the radar was this moment.

[Novak Djokovic]

The moment is approaching, no question it's closer than ever. But you know, Andrew Agassi is one of the all time greats, of course, and was part of my yeah, give it up for Andre. And he said, he said in the dock he said, you know, I don't know when the end is coming for Novak, but I'm sure, I'm sure as hell that when it comes, it comes fast. So I think he's right.

[Producer Mike]

Hard to square quote. Closer than ever with the results though. This is a guy still Inside the top 10 who has reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semifinals this year while playing only a handful of events. Novak has also said publicly that he wants to play the LA28 Olympics carrying the flag of Serbia. So if that holds true and his body holds up, we've got at least two more summers with the Goat. Set number three brings us to an announcement for the WTA this week that they would be mandating gene testing for every player on tour policy introduces a one time test in the form of a cheek swab, blood or saliva sample. The test screens for the SRY gene, a marker on the Y chromosome tied to male sex development. Positive result means a player can't compete on the women's tour unless they can demonstrate a specific condition to WTA medical staff. This replaces the tour's previous rules which allowed transgender women to compete under certain testosterone thresholds. This is not a first in women's sports. Last year world Boxing and World athletics announced a similar protocol and then earlier this year the International Olympic Committee enacted similar SRY testing requirements. Set number four takes us to my hometown in Ohio where the Cincinnati Open just dropped an entry list that has tennis fans pumped. Sean talked last week about Carlos Alcaraz and Holger Rooney being on the entry list leading up to the event, but if you take a closer look, every top 10 player from both tours are also currently featured. And if that doesn't make the draw sound competitive Enough, there are 10 former champions scheduled to play Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff, Matty Keys, Karolina Pliskova, Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev on the mid side. This will be the first event since Indian Wells where all of the current top 10 players are in the draw. If the entry list holds firm, this has the making for a heck of a tune up for the US Open. And finally set number five kicks off the only combined ATP and WTA 500 level event of the season, the DC Open played at the Fitzgerald Tennis center in Rock Creek Park. The main draw starts Monday, July 27 and runs through August 2. On the men's side, defending champ and newly wifed up Alex de Minority is back alongside of America's best Ben Shelton, Taylor, Fritz Francis, Tiafo and also newly hitched Tommy Paul. On the women's side it is also stacked Jessica Pugula, Alina Svitolina, Naomi Osaka, Matty Keys, plus defending champ Layla Fernandez and oh yeah, seven time Slam champ Venus Williams is playing doubles with Alex Yala. As for how to watch it is on Tennis Channel here in the States and streaming through the Tennis Channel Apple. Check out your local listings for the day sessions because with that field the early rounds are going to be sneaky good. All right my friends, and that leads us to our tie break trivia. I'm breaking the rules this week a little bit, guys, the question will have nothing to do with the previous stories because our very own Andy Roddick is a movie star in a pickleball movie called the Dink, which premieres today, Friday, July 24, on Apple TV. But this is not Andy's first time playing himself on screen. So here's our which famous early 2000s teen sitcom cast Andy Roddick as a guest star playing himself? Hint, there's a cat involved. We'll have that answer for you in this week's five setter newsletter, along with a few stories that didn't quite make the cut, including Tennis.com's literally stopping of the presses, Ben Shelton's pressing pause on his YouTube series, and more on the ATP doubles drama. For the full breakdown, head to servepodcast.com or find us on substack. Please hit subscribe on YouTube or follow us on your favorite podcast platform. And techie Sean will be back with you guys next week, which I see in the comments most of you would prefer. See you chuckers next week.

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