"Isner, Karlovic, Becker, Sampras, Arthurs, Ivanisevic; Who do you leave off to make this statement true?" - Andy Roddick disputes claims that Nick Kyrgios' serve is among Top-5 of all time
Nick Kyrgios' serve is among the most effective shots currently on the ATP tour, as many of his competitors have admitted to time and again. However, it still cannot be considered among the top-5 serves of all time in the men's game, believes Andy Roddick. The American responded to a claim by former player Mark Petchey, who termed Kyrgios' serve among the all-time top-5.
Petchey believes that very few players in history have a serve as impressive as that of Nick Kyrgios, despite the fact that he is yet to win a Grand Slam. Speaking on an episode of the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, the British player-turned-commentator expressed his views.
"We've said it for a number of years with Nick. In isolation, it's one of the top five serves of all time," Petchey said. "Yeah okay, he hasn't won majors so how do you say that? Bottom line is just in isolation, it's one of the best serves of all time."
"In isolation, it's one of the top five serves of all-time."
@MarkPetchey discusses @NickKyrgios's high quality of tennis and why his serve is one of the best the game has ever seen on an all new episode of Tennis Channel Inside-In.
🎙️: megaphone.link/ADV5686299907 https://t.co/BLe3pLU2wP
Responding to those comments, Roddick picked six other players who deserve to be on that list, according to him, namely John Isner, Ivo Karlovic, Boris Becker, Pete Sampras, Wayne Arthurs, and Goran Ivanisevic. He then asked Petchey which player among those six he would leave off his list to accommodate Kyrgios.
"Isner, Karlovic, Becker, Sampras, Arthurs, Ivanisevic, and I’m sure I’m forgetting others …. Who to you leave off to make this statement true?" Roddick tweeted.
@Tennis @markpetchey @NickKyrgios Isner, Karlovic, Becker, Sampras, Arthurs, Ivanisevic, and I’m sure I’m forgetting others …. Who to you leave off to make this statement true?
Among the players Roddick named, Isner is the only active player on tour while the others are retired. Meanwhile, Roddick himself was known to have one of the toughest serves on the tour during his peak years, and was reminded of the same by former WTA player Kim Clijsters. Clijsters replied to Roddick and urged him not to forget his own serve.
While Roddick acknowledged that sentiment, he admitted that he does not believe his own serve was better than that of the six players he named.
@Clijsterskim @Tennis @markpetchey @NickKyrgios I could throw it for sure :) I also don’t think mine was better than anyone named above
Replying to a Twitter user who highlighted Arthurs' serve among those Roddick mentioned, the former US Open champion revealed that Arthurs' serve was among the 'nastiest' he faced on tour.
@IanKatzTennis @Tennis @markpetchey @NickKyrgios The rest of Arthurs was pretty average. His serve was one of the nastiest I was ever on the other side of ……. The players knew. Nasty nasty delivery. All the spins, pace, lefty etc.
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios' purple patch has carried on from the Wimbledon Championships to the ongoing Citi Open. He produced very strong numbers on both first and second serves against the likes of Reilly Opelka and Frances Tiafoe en route to the semifinals.
"My serve towards the end kicked up to another gear" - Nick Kyrgios on saving five match points to beat Frances Tiafoe
Nick Kyrgios had an eventful Friday at the Citi Open in Washington DC. The Aussie's round of 16 match against Opelka was interrupted by rain in the second set on Thursday and the duo had to complete their match on Friday.
Kyrgios overcame Opelka 7-6(1), 6-2 and had to face Tiafoe in the quarterfinals later in the day. The match against Tiafoe was a roller-coaster where the Australian player was forced to save five match points en route to a 6-7(5), 7-6(12), 6-2 win.
Kyrgios credited his serve as the main ingredient in helping him reach the semifinals amid such tough challenges and conditions at the Citi Open.
"It's tough conditions out here. You lose a lot of fluids out here, and my serve towards the end kicked up to another gear. I felt like I had fresh legs at the end. Serving 130 in these conditions is pretty helpful. I'm really happy where I'm at," Kyrgios said in his post-match press conference.
Kyrgios will face Mikael Ymer in the semifinals and stands two wins away from clinching his second Citi Open title. He won his first title in the ATP event in Washington in 2019, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final. Kyrgios is also in the doubles quarterfinals of the 2022 Citi Open with Jack Sock.
Last week, he won the Atlanta Open doubles title with compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis.