Roddick and Wertheim Break Down Roland Garros Draw, Predict Nadal-Zverev Upset

Andy Roddick and Jon Wertheim, co-hosts of the "Served with Andy Roddick" podcast, meticulously analyzed the Roland Garros draw, providing insightful predictions and engaging discussions.

Roddick began by assessing the women's draw, highlighting the potential second-round clash between Naomi Osaka and Iga Swiatek. Both agreed that Swiatek, the reigning champion, would likely advance deep into the tournament regardless of her opponents. Roddick predicted Swiatek would face Barbora Krejcikova in the fourth round and Danielle Collins in the quarterfinals.

Moving to the men's draw, Roddick initially avoided looking for Rafael Nadal's name, but his excitement erupted when he discovered Nadal's first-round matchup against Alexander Zverev. Roddick expressed his disbelief and despair, acknowledging the psychological implications of Zverev facing Nadal on the same court where he suffered a career-threatening ankle injury in 2021.

Despite his initial reluctance, Roddick predicted Zverev would prevail in the first round, citing his ability to compartmentalize and the potential for a rain delay to disrupt Nadal's rhythm. However, he emphasized that Nadal would likely reach the semifinals if he overcame Zverev.

Roddick and Wertheim debated several other matchups, including Gael Monfils vs. Thiago Seyboth Wild, Tommy Paul vs. Francisco Cerundolo, and Casper Ruud vs. Jakub Mensik. They also discussed the recent upset by Taylor Fritz in Geneva and the potential threat posed by Nicolas Jarry due to Jannik Sinner's hip injury.

After comparing their picks, Roddick and Wertheim agreed that Novak Djokovic, Nadal (Wertheim's "tennis god" pick), Carlos Alcaraz, Andrey Rublev, and Fritz were likely to reach the quarterfinals. Roddick expressed his dissatisfaction with his own predictions, but acknowledged the excitement and unpredictability of the upcoming tournament.

Tags: #RolandGarros, #Tennis, #AndyRoddick, #JonWertheim, #RafaelNadal