Podcast Summary: "Federer to Newport, Hewitt & Son Shine, College Stars Battle"

Podcast: Served with Andy Roddick
Episode Date: November 21, 2025
Host: Producer Mike for Served with Andy Roddick
Guests/Featured Voices: Jon Wertheim, Billie Jean King, Kim Clijsters, Roger Federer, Jannik Sinner

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a high-energy rundown of the latest tennis news across the globe, focusing on Roger Federer’s Hall of Fame induction, family feats from the Hewitt duo, player prize money rankings, heated debate over the Davis Cup schedule, and drama from the NCAA tennis championships. Designed for tennis enthusiasts, the "five setter" format covers five essential topics—each packed with inside insights, player perspectives, and memorable moments in under 10 minutes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Roger Federer Officially Headed to International Hall of Fame

• [01:04 – 02:22]

• Roger Federer, tennis icon, will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2026.

• The announcement was made via Zoom by Kim Clijsters, with a virtual “Brady Bunch” of tennis legends.

• Fellow tennis great Billie Jean King and others chimed in to congratulate Roger, who appeared moved by the honor.

  Notable Quote:

  • “So many of you. Thank you. Hello everybody. Nice to see Patrick. I see you.” — Roger Federer, [01:56]

Mary Carrillo Honored as Contributor

• Renowned journalist Mary Carrillo is also set to be inducted.

• Billie Jean King highlights Carrillo’s legacy as a trailblazer for women in sports media.

  Notable Quote:

  • “You have blazed a trail in sports commentary and journalism...you are an amazing storyteller with a unique perspective and deep knowledge of the game and we need more like you in our sport and in our world.” — Billie Jean King, [02:37]

2. Family Affair Down Under: Hewitt & Son Shine

• [03:11 – 03:55]
• Former world #1 Lleyton Hewitt teams up with his 16-year-old son Cruz at NSW Open, their first ATP Challenger match together.
• The Hewitts won their opener handily (6-0, 6-1) but lost a close second-round encounter (7-5, 6-4).
• Lleyton had not played a sanctioned event since 2020, making this a touching family tennis moment.

3. Tennis Prize Money Rankings Released

• [03:55 – 05:50]
• Sportico’s 2025 prize money tracker revealed:
  • Men: Jannik Sinner No. 1 with $19.1M, Carlos Alcaraz second with $18.81M.
  • Women’s Top Earners: Aryna Sabalenka ($15M+), Iga Swiatek ($10M), Elena Rybakina ($8.4M), Coco Gauff ($7.9M), and Amanda Anisimova ($7.2M).
• Discussion of increasing parity between the top male and female earners—top 5 men combined: $54M, top 5 women: $48M.
• Noted that 23 of the top 50 earners are women, 27 are men.
• Novak Djokovic remains the all-time prize money leader with over $190 million.

4. Davis Cup Format: Calls For Change

• [05:50 – 06:45]

• Davis Cup Finals underway in Bologna, but both Sinner and Alcaraz are resting, skipping the event due to congested schedules.

• Debate about whether the tournament should shift to a biennial or triennial schedule to better fit the calendar.

• Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner both support less frequency for Davis Cup to allow top players consistent participation.

  Notable Quote:

  • “With this schedule, Davis cup, it's difficult that you have every year from every country the best players in the world...I could see potentially in the future having Davis cup throughout two years.” — Jannik Sinner, [06:05]

• Sinner further advocates a return to home-and-away ties, saying neutral sites undermine the event’s unique energy.

5. NCAA Tennis Championships: College Tennis on the Rise

• [06:45 – 08:37]
• The 2025 NCAA Division I singles and doubles championships are in full swing.
• Men’s Highlights:
  • Michael Zhang, defending champion, in the quarterfinals. He returned for his senior year after a strong run in ATP Challengers.
• Women’s Highlights:
  • Savannah Dada Moscol of Appalachian State advanced to the quarterfinals after a notable comeback.
• This year closes the NCAA’s experiment holding individual championships in the fall, which gives top players a chance at pro events in spring and summer.
• Past NCAA champs mentioned: Ben Shelton, Emma Navarro, Danielle Collins, Steve Johnson, Bob Bryan.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Roger Federer on his Hall of Fame call:
  “So many of you. Thank you. Hello everybody. Nice to see Patrick. I see you.”
  — Roger Federer, [01:56]

• Billie Jean King on Mary Carrillo:
  “You have blazed a trail in sports commentary and journalism and are setting an example for young people everywhere, especially girls and women in and out of sports. You are an amazing storyteller...”
  — Billie Jean King, [02:37]

• Jannik Sinner on the Davis Cup schedule:
  “...with this schedule, Davis cup, it's difficult that you have every year from every country the best players in the world...”
  — Jannik Sinner, [06:05]

• Producer Mike (on NCAA champs progressing to the pro level):
  “Recent singles champions have gone on to be pretty good at the next level, including Ben Shelton, Emma Navarro, Danielle Collins, Nothing Major, Steve Johnson and Friend of the show and hall of Famer Bob Bryan.”
  — Producer Mike, [08:15]

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:04] – Federer’s Hall of Fame induction announcement
• [02:37] – Billie Jean King on Mary Carrillo
• [03:11] – Hewitt and son compete at NSW Open
• [03:55] – 2025 prize money breakdown
• [05:50] – Davis Cup controversy and player reactions
• [06:45] – NCAA tennis championships highlights

Overall Tone

The episode is lively, witty, and blends reverence for the sport’s legends with a playful, newsy delivery. Host Producer Mike keeps things brisk, mixing facts with tennis fandom and inside-joke flair ("Cha Ching," “Brady Bunch-esque,” “dynamic duo down under”). The show values both nostalgia for the sport’s golden moments and forward-looking analysis on the future of tennis formats and stars.