Sports is something that millions of fans feel deeply connected to, so much so that many of the fans make it an integral part of their lives. Tennis, being such a widely popular and universally loved sport, evokes a lot of passion and enthusiasm among its ardent followers all over the world. This immense passion can sometimes instill the belief in the minds of many tennis enthusiasts that they, too, can compete with stars of the game at the professional level. A burning example of this was when a survey in 2019 revealed that a considerable number of British men believed that they can take a point from tennis icon Serena Williams on the tennis court.
Now, a similar stat has come to light in a recent survey involving amateur American tennis players. This has prompted a cheeky response from former American tennis great Andy Roddick, who was seemingly shocked at such a revelation. But what was the result of the survey and what was Roddick’s reaction? Let’s dive deeper.
Amateur American tennis players’ views on playing against top pros baffle Andy Roddick
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Having won 32 ATP singles titles in his career, including the 2003 US Open, Andy Roddick is one of the most well-known American tennis stars of the modern era. After retiring from the sport in 2012, Roddick can sometimes be found sharing his views on current players or analyzing matches on certain occasions via his social media handles. He couldn’t help but express his astonishment upon knowing the results of a survey involving recreational tennis players from America.
A recent survey revealed that almost 3 out of 4 amateur tennis players in America believe they can win a game against any professional player in a 3-set match. The report also showed that a whopping 81% of amateur players between the ages of 18 and 24 think they can achieve the feat, whereas 47% of them over the age of 55 believe the same. After coming across the results of the survey, a dumbfounded Andy Roddick took to Twitter to let his opinion known. “This is insane”, he tweeted.
This is insane
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) August 8, 2023
Furthermore, he even doubted himself about winning a game against a top tennis professional in the present day, taking a dig at the confidence of the recreational players.
“I honestly question if I could win a game against a top pro now. I also assume I’m better than most club players :)”, he added.
I honestly question if I could win a game against a top pro now. I also assume I’m better than most club players 🙂
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) August 8, 2023
Looking back, this is quite similar to the results of a survey conducted in 2019 that shed light on the opinions of British people about playing Serena Williams.
One in eight British men said they can win a point against Serena Williams, as per 2019 survey
In 2019, a poll conducted by YouGov revealed that 12% or one in eight British men believe that they can snatch a point off 23-time grand slam champion Serena Williams while playing a game of tennis. While 74% said this isn’t possible, 14% weren’t certain of the outcome. As far as women are concerned, the number wasn’t that high – 3% thought they could win a point against Serena Williams, while 87% believed there was no chance.
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Naturally, this received a lot of attention from tennis experts and media organizations across the globe, with some even criticizing the perception of the general population of Britain.
One in eight men (12%) say they could win a point in a game of tennis against 23 time grand slam winner Serena Williams https://t.co/q0eNBjn7Vu pic.twitter.com/3InBOWdYwh
— YouGov (@YouGov) July 12, 2019
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While the results of these kinds of surveys will always remain contentious and up for debate, it also goes on to show how hugely the prospect of playing a sport like tennis can captivate and engage its followers and people in general. Even to the extent of fancying themselves against all-time greats of the game!
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