Served with Andy Roddick

Episode: Federer’s Agent talks Leaving Nike, Building a Tournament, & More w/ Tony Godsick

Date: October 7, 2025
Host: Andy Roddick
Guest: Tony Godsick (Federer’s agent, CEO of Team8)

OVERVIEW

This episode of "Served" dives deep into the business and personal sides of tennis greatness—with Andy Roddick sitting down for an extensive, honest, and playful conversation with Tony Godsick, the longtime agent and friend of Roger Federer. They explore behind-the-scenes stories about Federer’s switch from Nike to Uniqlo and his stake in On, the art and stress of building the Laver Cup from scratch, the unique challenges of tennis scheduling, and family life steeped in professional sports.

The episode delivers both inside baseball and touching anecdotes, giving listeners a rare look into the careers of two titans who shaped tennis far beyond center court.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

Current Tennis Storylines and Tournament Schedules

• Shanghai and Scheduling Gripe (02:44–09:39)
  • Andy reflects on the grueling tennis calendar, particularly 12-day Masters events in Shanghai and the challenging humidity and air quality.
  • The belief that “tennis is supposed to be hard” yet calls out how relentless scheduling impacts players, noting fatigue, injuries, and early finishes for women’s tournaments vs. men’s tours.
  • On U.S. women’s breakout performances and opportunity in ATP draws when top players like Alcaraz and Sinner are absent.

“I'll tell you what though, I'd rather do all the work up front for more time on the back end. Maybe I'm weird.” (Andy, 05:46)

The Laver Cup: Building a New Tennis Tradition

Event Operations, Challenges, and Vision

• Post-Laver Cup Work & Success (12:15–13:52)
  • Tony describes the immediate, sponsor-focused, and highly detailed debrief after each Laver Cup, touting their 8th consecutive sell-out and crediting Agassi and Pat Rafter for Team World’s win.
• Seamless Event Experience (13:52–14:52)
  • Andy praises the nearly invisible operations—the sign of a truly well-run event.
• Infrastructure Perfection & Roger’s Influence (14:52–16:22)
  • Tony credits their elite events team and Roger’s 25 years of player perspective, focusing on intentional details and not cutting corners to maximize profit at the expense of experience.

“The best thing that you know an event can be is not noticed. Because normally when you notice the operations, it’s negative.” (Andy, 13:31)

“We have a great events team… attention to detail is very important with all of us. But Steve [Zaks] is a micromanager… We invest in this brand because we obviously want people to enjoy it.” (Tony, 14:52)

• Event Planning & Future Growth (17:03–19:23)
  • Laver Cup plans years ahead—already mapping out cities through 2029—and carefully selects venues, prioritizing sponsor relationships and consistently high standards.

Unique Format & Player Experience

• Arena Adaptation & Branding (19:23–21:41)

  • Tailoring each Laver Cup to its city’s logistics, building even temporary stadiums within conference centers if needed, always keeping the TV and fan experience consistent.

• Choosing Locations & Navigating Tennis Politics (21:41–23:05)

  • Tony walks through the “stress points” of scheduling around ATP rules and existing tournaments, collaboration with stakeholders, and balancing arenas' size, location, and financial sense.

• Success & Enjoyment (24:22–26:45)

  • Tony admits stress exists but is also able to appreciate moments of generational connection between legends and rising stars.

“I told Roger a few times, like, this is cool. I never envisioned it would happen so quickly.” (Tony, 24:59)

Tradition vs. Innovation in Tennis

• Andy argues that tradition is earned (“you can’t fake it, can’t redo it”), but innovation like the Laver Cup matters for sport’s future (26:47–28:16).

The Federer–Godsick Partnership: 20 Years at the Top

Origins & Dynamic

• How They Met & Early Impressions (28:16–29:26)
  • Tony details first becoming Roger’s agent in 2005 after a post-U.S. Open meeting, describing both Federer and Mirka’s warmth and professionalism.
• Trust, Communication, and Mega Fights (29:37–32:39)
  • Regular communication and mutual respect underpin their decades-long relationship—even surviving “three mega fights.”

“The secret to his success and to our partnership has been the ability to always get him on the phone, always communicate. He has strong opinions. I have strong opinions…” (Tony, 30:34)

What Makes Federer Special As A Client

• Showing Up, Delivering, Overdelivering (32:39–34:23)
  • Roger’s reliability sets him apart—always early, always present, genuinely curious, and engaged with sponsors.

“He always shows up on time and he always stays longer... With Roger, he’s generally enjoying himself when he’s at an appearance.” (Tony, 33:04, 33:36)

• Extraordinary Endurance & Adaptability (34:23–35:44)
  • Roger adapts to even grueling media days with humor and willingness—qualities Tony says are rare in elite athletes.

“He’s like, guys, I mean, what else could we be doing today? We had fun. Whether it’s 1 hour, 12 hours, we're in the city, who cares?” (Tony, 34:20)

Andy’s First-Hand Testimony

• Federer’s Integrity (36:32–37:45)
  • Andy recounts Federer going above and beyond for Andy’s own foundation, showing up after an early loss at the US Open rather than canceling, and setting a tone of adding value to others’ work.

“He goes, alright, so we're here for X amount of time. How can I add the most value to what you do today? I was like, that's like—it's an amazingly intelligent thing to ask.” (Andy, 37:27)

• Tony Confirms Authenticity (37:45–39:08)
  • “That’s regular...But he’s very picky on who he does things with.”

The Big Three: Federer, Nadal, Djokovic—Brand Strategy and Differentiation

• Brand Overlap vs. Siloed Deals (39:49–42:41)
  • The “Big Three” each had different languages, backgrounds, and strategies—Roger focused on long-term, global, blue-chip relationships, aided by his Swiss nationality and language skills.

“We had a strategy… Let’s not accept a deal if someone’s going to scratch their head saying I don’t quite understand the association.” (Tony, 40:12)

“I did not think that...three years being retired now, that he’d still have 13 sponsors...a lot of them...over 20 years.” (Tony, 41:02)

Behind the Nike Split, Uniqlo & On: How Business and Timing Changed Everything

• Leaving Nike (Or, Nike Leaving Federer) (44:24–49:43)
  • Tony details the difficult effort to renew Roger’s Nike deal—“Nike kind of left him."
  • Despite Federer winning three majors during the negotiation (“he’s giving me all the goods”), Nike wouldn’t match his future vision.

“It was, we were trying to resign and they chose not to resign. He would have stayed...I spent one year…trying to renew it.” (Tony, 45:48; see story 45:46–49:43)

• The Uniqlo Breakthrough (49:43–52:49)
  • Anna Wintour connects Tony to Uniqlo’s founder, Y. Yanai, unlocking a groundbreaking deal focused as much on post-tennis life as on tennis.

“Roger will retire from tennis, but he won’t retire from life. And I was like, yes, that’s the—they finally understand that there’s life off the court with Roger.” (Tony quoting Uniqlo’s John Jay, 52:10)

• On Running: Equity & Swiss Connection (52:49–57:44)
  • The move to On was possible only because of being Swiss and an openness to building something beyond the last chapter of Federer’s playing days; deal structured as partnership and equity, not just endorsement.

“I said, don’t worry about it. We are going to, let’s do something different, something where he can grow with you…” (Tony on On, 54:53)

• Dropping Uniqlo at Wimbledon (57:08–57:44)
  • Roger stunned the tennis world by walking onto Center Court at Wimbledon in Uniqlo—no press release required.

“He practiced and warmed up that morning at Orangi or on one of the side courts in Nike and then walked out on. And people in the locker room were like, what the hell’s going on here?” (Tony, 57:26)

• Lessons Learned
  • Reliability, reputation, authenticity, and “over-delivering” on off-court obligations make these deals possible—not just trophies.

“If you have worked hard consistently... You’re going to get back [off the court] what you put in.” (Tony, 58:28)

Family, Tennis & Next Generation

• Tennis in the Godsick Household (59:56–68:34)
  • Tony credits Monica Seles for getting him into the business and even setting him up with his (now) wife, Mary Joe Fernandez.
  • Mary Joe is the “nicest person in the world,” a role model to their kids, as are Roger and Mirka Federer.
  • Daughter Bella (former lacrosse player, plays tennis), son Nico (now Stanford college tennis player), both raised as part of the extended tennis family.

“I owe everything to Monica Seles…I interned at IMG…She introduced me to Mary Jo. We have these two great kids. But then she’s the one that signed Roger Federer for me.” (Tony, 60:49, 62:44)

• On Playing Level in the Family
  • “On Sundays when we play family doubles, there’s a fight between the kids who has to play with me.” (Tony, 66:44)

College Tennis: A New Era

• How the Pathway Has Changed (69:43–75:22)
  • College tennis is now a credible launching pad for pro careers, especially with more robust NIL opportunities and top programs attracting global recruits.
  • Roddick and Tony agree the level has jumped, and NIL may uniquely benefit tennis because of the depth, quality training, and career safety net it provides (education + pro option).

“Now it's college, okay? You're going to be in like a slam semi. Like there's a whole new world out there.” (Andy, 75:22)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

On Federer, Deals, and Relationships

• On Federer’s character:
  “He always shows up on time and he always stays longer…with Roger, he’s generally enjoying himself…” (Tony, 33:04–33:36)

• Andy on Federer’s integrity:
  “He goes, all right, so we’re here for X amount of time. How can I add the most value to what you do today?...It’s an amazingly intelligent thing to ask…” (Andy, 37:27)

• Business philosophy:
  “If you have worked hard consistently... You’re going to get back [off the court] what you put in.” (Tony, 58:28)

• Switch from Nike:
  “He didn’t leave Nike. Nike kind of left him.” (Tony, 45:48)

On Building the Laver Cup

• On the vision:
  “We want people to turn on the TV… and look at the Black Court and say, ah, it’s the Laver Cup and it looks the same everywhere we go.” (Tony, 20:29)
• On success:
  “I never envisioned it would happen so quickly…” (Tony, 24:59)

TIMESTAMPS OF KEY SEGMENTS

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:44–09:39 | Andy on the tennis schedule, humidity in Shanghai, U.S. women’s success, ranking implications, scheduling struggles. | | 12:01–26:47 | Tony Godsick on Laver Cup logistics, event-building philosophy, post-event “debriefs”, growth strategy, venue selection, ATP politics, and emotional payoff. | | 28:16–39:08 | Federer–Godsick relationship: beginnings, communication style, trust, unique partnership stories, God-level reliability. | | 39:49–42:41 | The Big Three’s different brand approaches and how Federer’s Swiss-ness mattered. | | 44:24–59:19 | The full saga of Federer/Nike breakup, Uniqlo and On deals—how it happened, how Anna Wintour connected Tony to Uniqlo, life-after-tennis vision. | | 59:56–68:34 | Tennis as a family sport—the Monica Seles connection, Mary Joe Fernandez as a partner, raising kids in tennis. | | 69:43–75:22 | Why college tennis is now a major pro springboard, NIL’s role, and institutional facilities. | | 75:22–76:43 | Wrap up, Andy’s conversion to Laver Cup, closing gratitude and playful banter. |

TONE & ATMOSPHERE

• Conversational, candid, playful: Both Andy and Tony exchange banter, gentle ribbing, and industry war stories.
• Insightful, honest, and occasionally sentimental: Provides a rare window into trust, loyalty, and the behind-the-scenes hustle of tennis as big business.
• Valuable for both tennis insiders and curious fans: Even complex sponsorship deals are made engaging and relatable via anecdotes and self-deprecation.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LISTENERS

This episode is essential for anyone wanting a behind-the-scenes look at tennis, from world-changing business deals to the emotional glue of lifelong partnerships. The Federer–Godsick stories offer a case study in how to build and preserve a legacy, on and off the court.

Most memorable takeaways:

• How core values, reliability, and “overdelivering” outlast even the biggest wins.
• The importance of tradition—but also the necessity (and reward) for taking bold new paths.
• Family, in all its forms, remains at the center, even for the world’s top players and agents.

For full conversations and more insights, check out the full "Served with Andy Roddick" episode on your preferred platform.