“No other player would get criticism for that” – Andy Roddick defends Novak Djokovic amid negative reviews on Monte-Carlo semifinal run

Former tennis player Andy Roddick has come to Novak Djokovic's defense after the Serb came under criticism for his run to the semifinals at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2024.

Novak Djokovic defeated the likes of Roman Safiullin, Lorenzo Musetti, and Alex de Minaur before losing a three-setter to Casper Ruud in the semifinals. This was notably his third tournament for the 2024 season after the Australian Open and Indian Wells Masters and his first on clay.

The Serb has built a reputation for himself as the one to win wherever and whomever he plays, hence, the brief title drought that he's been going through since the turn of the year has raised several eyebrows.

Andy Roddick, on the contrary, believes the seven days the 36-year-old spent at the clay Masters 1000 event were rather fruitful.

"It was a good week for Novak. He got his paces in. You know, you have to be a certain kind of player for people to criticize a semifinal showing in the first claycourt tournament of the year when you’ve only played two other events and you beat a Top 10 player [Alex de Minaur] along the way. No other player would get criticism for that," the American said in a recent episode of the Served with Andy Roddick podcast (at 9:56).

However, Roddick did register his concerns over Djokovic's fitness but suggested that expecting the latter to win it all is absurd. He said:

"He looked a little strange, he was like laboring, his breath looked like it was short, earlier, especially against de Minaur. It was interesting, you feel like, he’s still trying to find his match fitness."

"I think I was the first to say he's the greatest before it was generally accepted but you can't win them all. I thought it was a good week for him, uncharacteristic at the end but if you haven't played a lot of matches, it's ridiculous to think that you're going to play matches at the peak of your abilities."

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"Novak Djokovic needs to play more tennis going to Roland Garros" - Andy Roddick

Novak Djokovic and Andy Roddick

Further, during the same episode of the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, Andy Roddick reckoned Novak Djokovic should get more matches under his belt before starting his title defense at the French Open 2024.

"He needs to play more tennis going to Roland Garros. He knows better than anyone how to manage this part of the year. He’s kind of slowly ramped up the claycourt season to get to a Roland Garros title a couple of times, including last year," Roddick said (at 11:22).

The French Open will kick off on May 20, 2024, and Djokovic is likely to compete at the Madrid Masters 2024 to get himself going on the dirt. Thus far, he has won the Madrid event three times in 2011, 2016, and 2019.

Similarly, he has triumphed at Roland Garros thrice in 2016, 2021, and 2023.