“Who is the best tennis player on grass? This question has long troubled the tennis community, sparking heated debates as fans and experts alike struggle to crown a single champion. For some, the Swiss Maestro Roger Federer remains the undisputed king of grass. Others argue that the 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic, with his remarkable consistency and mental fortitude, deserves the title. But as the sport transitions to a new era, fresh faces are emerging and making their mark on the storied grass courts. One such rising star is the Italian sensation Jannik Sinner, for whom Andy Roddick is all praises.

Speaking on the July 9 episode of Served with Roddick, the former tennis pro seemed to snub Novak Djokovic as the best grass courter. In a sensational admission, he put the newly crowned World No.1 Jannik Sinner as his favorite player on the green surface and was seen singing praises for the Italian dynamo.

Chatting in the podcast, the 2003 US Open Winner said, “I hate it when people say is this the final like, I can’t handle that sh*t. I just I don’t I just think Sinner’s the best player on Earth specifically on this surface.” This is a surprising statement for many as Roddick seems to have been changing his stance over the best grass-court player.

Earlier last month, Andy Roddick claimed that Novak Djokovic is the best player on the surface. “I still think he is the “best grass court player in the world” when healthy,” Roddick had said about Nole. Now just weeks later, he has changed his stance to regard the Italian star as the best player on grass. Continuing further, Roddick said, “I think Sinner has turned into a great grass-court player, from last year to this year.” Sinner, meanwhile, has proven this claim with his latest performances.

The 22-year-old is on a 9-match winning streak on grass. He lifted his first grass-court title in June this year having defeated Hubert Hurkacz in the Halle Open finals. This is not the first time when Roddick has been seen praising the Italian giant. Ahead of Wimbledon this year, Roddick predicted that it would be Sinner and Djokovic facing each other in the finals, with the Italian clinching the title. 

He attributed his prediction to the fact that the Serbian legend practiced with Sinner ahead of Wimbledon, and that might give the Italian some clues to play against Djokovic. Nole, on the other hand, is highly motivated for his Wimbledon campaign.

‘He will be one of…’ When former Wimbledon champion warned youngsters about Novak Djokovic’s dominance

Novak Djokovic’s return to Wimbledon was surprising for many. The Serbian legend, who suffered a knee injury and underwent surgery in June this year, was assumed to take time before hitting picking the racquets again. However, he defied the odds and marked his comeback. But what occurred ahead of his comeback was the series of warnings that former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli issued. 

Speaking to RMC Sport, Bartioli had expressed the possibility of Nole hitting the court again. “And if he finally plays, of course he will be one of the two favourites,” the French had remarked. And with Djokovic’s latest run on grass, he is indeed one of the favorites. The Serbian himself had admitted his desire to play a good season at Wimbledon. 

When asked if he was looking to win Wimbledon despite the surgery-induced return, Nole said, “Of course. I mean, that’s why I’m here. I didn’t come here to play a few rounds.

As the tournament progresses, it will be interesting to see if Jannik Sinner can actually oust the seven-time Wimbledon winner and eventually clinch the title.