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Andy Roddick says he "1000% disagrees" with Stefanos Tsitsipas' "ridiculous" comment that winning the ATP Finals title is bigger than landing a Grand Slam. Tsitsipas, who impressively won his first ATP Finals title in his tournament debut in 2019, made a statement in Turin that left many stunned.
"I would consider it probably a bigger thing than a Slam, honestly. It has big prestige and it's a very valuable asset if you're able to conquer and win it," Tsitsipas said prior to the start of the ATP Finals. After suffering a straight-set defeat to Jannik Sinner in his ATP Finals opener, Tsitsipas retired against Holger Rune just three games into their match due to a back injury.
Addressing Tsitsipas' retirement and withdrawal, Roddick suggested that the Greek should have thought about the Australian Open before deciding to go out and play while dealing with back and elbow issues.
Roddick on Tsitsipas' 'ridiculous' comment about the ATP Finals
"I know he said something ridiculous this week about how this is bigger than a Slam if you win it.
I 1000% fully disagree and I don't even think he believes what he said but I would've had an eye on next year, especially if you're nursing multiple injuries. And then if you kind of sweeten the pot with, 'Listen if I don't play it gives someone else on tour, that I have to see throughout the year, a look at the basket and to be able to get in.'
You want his team to kind of be able to speak up there maybe a little bit louder," Roddick said on Tennis Channel. Meanwhile, Tsitsipas was booed off the court by the Turin crowd after withdrawing just 15 minutes into their match.
Afterward, Tsitsipas received some pretty harsh criticism as some thought that withdrawing before the match would have been the right thing to do. Tsitsipas later apologized and insisted that his intention was to play out the entire match but that the "pain was too much to handle."