Served with Andy Roddick

Episode: Greatest Forehands, Draper & Fils Return from Injury & More
Guests: Chris Eubanks & Jon Wertheim
Release Date: February 10, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Served with Andy Roddick dives deep into the world of tennis with a signature mix of irreverent humor, technical expertise, and storytelling. Andy Roddick, joined by Chris Eubanks, Jon Wertheim, and show regulars, covers:

• The return of promising young players (Draper, Fils, Qinwen) from injury and the broader “injury problem” among U25 stars;
• A nerdy, passionate hour-long breakdown of the greatest tennis forehands of all time, split by tennis eras and player perspectives;
• The influence of technology and training on stroke evolution;
• Notable anecdotes, friendly podcast rivalries, and tennis-life stories.

Whether you’re a casual or an obsessive tennis fan, this is a goldmine of insights, technical breakdowns, and locker-room banter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Travel, Tennis Seasons, and Returning from Injury

(01:26 – 07:58)

• The crew reflects on the rigors of world tennis travel and pokes fun at sports commentary clichés about jetlag and tournament schedules.
• They celebrate Félix Auger-Aliassime’s (FAA) dominance at indoor tournaments—8 of his 9 titles have been indoors, surpassing Milos Raonic as Canada's most decorated male player (02:55).
• Discussion pivots to the excitement around the return of Jack Draper, Zheng Qinwen, and Arthur Fils after significant time sidelined by injuries (06:09).
  • Roddick notes: "His ranking is going to drop...But like he's still one of the guys that can build and...disrupt...the tennis earth and maybe one of the people that can sneak something out." (06:12)
• Broader point: physical diligence is non-negotiable at the top, with Roddick using Isner, Djokovic, and his own routine as examples of injury prevention discipline.

Notable Quote

"The better you want to be, the fitter you have to be. It takes more time, even away from the court...You can't skip massages, you can't skip stretching, you can't skip icing after every single practice." – Andy Roddick (08:03)

2. Winter Sports, Tennis in the Olympics, and Ice Tennis

(03:21 – 05:20)

• Light-hearted detour on why tennis isn't a Winter Olympic sport, featuring humorous hypotheticals around "ice tennis."
• Andy's rule: "If you wear shorts, it's not a winter sport."
• Banter about goofy winter mashup sports and a proposed “Flying V” hockey routine as an Olympic event.
• The team watches a viral clip of skating tennis, unanimously agreeing it would make a killer event.

3. Podcast Rivalry & Pro Event Anecdotes

(10:00 – 13:23)

• Andy recounts a recent hit at the Dallas tour event with John Isner and Sam Querrey, marveling at McEnroe’s longevity:
  • "No one's been good at tennis as long as him." (10:28)
• Humorous exchange about Roddick ribbing the “Nothing Major Podcast”:

  “I think your podcast is super cute. It's like, I just want to take it and put it in my pocket...I know you guys are trying a little hard sell. I think it's just fantastic.” – Andy Roddick (11:45)

• That playful roast leads to a fun discussion on the friendly competitive banter among tennis podcasters.

4. Main Segment: Greatest Forehands of All Time

(14:22 – 83:44, interspersed)

Forehand List Criteria & Structure

• The host and Eubanks split their forehand picks by "eras"—Andy’s cutoff is players up to 2012, while Chris covers post-2012.
• Focus isn’t on biggest power only, but completeness: footwork, ability under pressure, versatility, stroke mechanics, adaptability to technology, and tactical use.

Legendary Forehands: The Roddick–Eubanks Conversation

(15:35–83:44)

Classic Era (Up to 2012)—Andy’s List

Ivan Lendl (17:35):

• "Lendl was the first absolute grim reaper thumper."
• Introduced power and aggression as a norm from the forehand side.

Pete Sampras (18:43):

• Evolution from Lendl, with signature “high elbow” and ability to generate pace particularly on inside-out shots.

Jim Courier (20:28):

• "He would scoot left, and he basically took what Lendle did and then said, like, the inside out control the entire dynamic…"
• Noted for controlling rallies and flattening shots on clay—precursor to heavy modern inside-out play.

Andre Agassi (23:33):

• Praised for ability to take forehand early, return big serves with full swings, and inject pace without time.
• Roddick: “He was maybe, maybe the only one from like 80s through that kind of was able to adapt [to modern gear and strings]... I personally think he's the best ball striker in history.” (29:06)
• Agassi as a transcendent talent across eras and technologies.

Juan Martín del Potro (31:48):

• The "wipeout" forehand. "There were sets where, you know, he hit nine forehand winners..."
• Noted for long levers and unmatched on-the-run power. “His ability to time up. Even when extended, he’d still inject pace.” (34:42)

Roger Federer (37:32):

• Roddick and Eubanks agree on the sheer variety, defense-to-offense transitions, and ability to create time/angle as unique to Federer.
• Eubanks: “Rogers forehand had the ability to take time away and catch the ball early like Andre...and just had the variety.”

Modern/Post-2012—Eubanks’ Picks

Rafael Nadal (45:23):

• “No one's ever hit it harder with more spin. ...He changed everything... he changed tennis.”—Andy (45:23)
• Roddick and Eubanks stress how Rafa’s forehand altered the approach to attack, especially with lefty spin and angles.

Novak Djokovic (56:19, Honorable Mention):

• “Novak’s forehand got way better over time...”
• Though not quite at the very top as of Roddick’s ‘2012 cutoff’ rule, both agree Djokovic’s forehand is now among the game’s very best, and his technical adjustments are highlighted.

Carlos Alcaraz (65:47):

• Called a modern update on Federer’s variety, only “with more spin, more firepower.”
• “If you don’t hit one perfectly and he has two feet under him...he can hit it over 100 mph both ways...At the last second, he can brush underneath and drop shot you. You can’t account for all those options." (67:05–68:15)

Jannik Sinner (69:57):

• Sinner’s wrist lag and timing are celebrated:

  “If I see that...I'm going, okay, I’m a rush it. Except for Jannik Sinner. The ability for him to have that lag and you still not be able to rush him...that’s the superpower.” – Roddick (71:26)

Dominic Thiem (72:12):

• “His forehand was a joke…I mean, the guy could thump the ball.”
• Noted for huge, loopy swings from well behind the baseline.

Jack Sock (74:15, Honorable Mention):

• Holds RPM records above even Rafa for a time (“numbers better, stop it right now”), a marvel in doubles, but Roddick notes his forehand does need time and can be rushed more than the others.

Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Ben Shelton, & Arthur Fils (Various Honorable Mentions):

• Fritz: “Puts a hurt on the ball... comes off flat and hard and deep.” (78:41)
• Casper Ruud: “He actually took over RPMs from Rafa, too...Bird’s eye view, you’re going, it doesn’t look like he’s ripping it, but then all of a sudden, you get the bottom view and it’s jumping.” (80:12)
• Modern tech and strings emphasized as game-changers, with Jack Sock among the pioneers stringing polyester at below 40 lbs, which was previously unthinkable (76:05–77:43).

General Forehand Wisdom

• The best forehands combine timing, shot variety, footwork, and tactical adaptability—not just outright power.
• “All these guys...10 out of 10 footwork...It's hard to have a great forehand if you have sloppy footwork...” – Andy (55:06)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On The Modern Forehand’s Diversity:
  “He was able to be perfect, but subtly perfect in multiple ways...I don't know that anyone's ever had, like, more variety.” — Andy on Federer (45:08)
• On Rafael Nadal’s Impact:
  “He changed everything. Nobody could attack Roger Slice before he came along.”—Andy (45:29)
• On Technical Evolution:
  “If I was going to do it, I would absolutely... drop as much [weight] before I committed back to the training process.” — Andy, on the reality of preparing for a comeback, referencing Serena (87:04)
• On Podcast Rivalry:
  “I also would like to congratulate Sam and John. I think your podcast is super cute. It's like, I just want to put it in my pocket.” — Andy (11:45)
• On the Reality of Pro Level Defense:
  “Missing a volley, it’s not about the volley. It’s about doing enough with the volley so it’s not instant death...You have to make these decisions within half a second.” — Andy (48:24)
• On Sinner’s Background in Skiing:
  “Now I think...you’re going to see every tennis player just like throwing themselves down a mountain. I kind of buy it now.” — Andy (90:17)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:26 – Opening catching up, travel banter, and FAA milestone
• 03:21 – Why tennis isn’t a Winter Olympic sport, “ice tennis” clip
• 06:09 – Draper, Qinwen, Fils return from injury & impact
• 08:03 – Physical work, tennis training, injury discussion
• 10:00 – Dallas Tour event, McEnroe longevity, podcast rivalry roast
• 14:22 – Beginning of “Best Forehands” Nerd-out with Chris Eubanks
• 17:35 – Lendl, Sampras, Courier, Agassi discussion
• 31:48 – Del Potro’s “wipeout” forehand
• 37:32 – Federer’s forehand analyzed
• 45:23 – Nadal as a game-changer, approach play evolution
• 56:19 – Djokovic’s forehand evolution
• 65:47 – Modern era—Alcaraz, Sinner, Thiem
• 74:15 – Honorable mentions: Sock, Fritz, Ruud, and more
• 83:44 – Nerdy tennis praise, segment wrap-up
• 84:43 – Super Bowl, star power, Serena comeback rumors
• 87:04 – On weight loss and coming out of retirement
• 89:18 – Novak Djokovic at the Olympics, athletic awe
• 90:17 – On Sinner’s skiing; multi-sport backgrounds
• 91:23 – The story of Andy Roddick losing to Drew Brees

Tone & Style

• Candid, irreverent, and full of both technical depth and self-deprecating humor.
• Regular interruptions for side stories and playful teasing among tennis friends.
• Nuanced breakdowns manage to educate serious fans while remaining accessible to “normies.”

Summary Takeaways

• This episode is a must-listen for tennis nerds and anyone interested in the technical and psychological nuances of professional tennis.
• The longest, deepest list of “best forehands” you’ll find in a single conversation, crammed with context, evolution, and locker room truths.
• The hosts’ collective playing, coaching, and media experience shines throughout, making for a rich, entertaining session that leaves you feeling smarter about strokes, careers, and the culture of pro tennis.