​As ESPN wrapped up its Wimbledon coverage on Sunday, host Malika Andrews pressed Andy Roddick with questions about the sport’s future. The specifics of the questions and answers aren’t the point here—whether Serena Williams will play the U.S. Open, whether Carlos Alcaraz will return, and whether anyone can topple Jannik Sinner. What stood out to me is that, as she queried him, he took notes. Anyone who has watched the grass-court tournament for the past two weeks, drenched in detail and insight from the last American man to win a Grand Slam (and yes, we’re talking about a victory that predates the iPhone era), wouldn’t be surprised by that discipline.
I can’t say with certainty what he wrote down—presumably a response he didn’t want to forget—but the contrast with John McEnroe, Roddick’s far more glorified counterpart, could not be starker. McEnroe had just completed recounting the men’s final when he mangled the pronunciation of finalist Alexander Zverev’s name. If you wander onto Reddit, X, or any social platform, you’ll find plenty of contempt for McEnroe and plenty of affection for Roddick. I’m a fan of McEnroe; he clearly cares deeply about tennis, has contributed to improving American tennis, and he’s a bona fide legend with the famous catchphrase, “You cannot be serious.” But it’s high time ESPN passed the baton, at least as lead announcer, and handed the reins to Roddick and other young former players like Chris Eubanks, who are also excelling.
If you’re reading this column, you’ve probably seen Sally Jenkins’ blistering takedown of McEnroe from last year. His mispronunciation of Zverev’s name isn’t an isolated misstep—I’ll admit I occasionally stumble over it too, but I’m not paid to nail every name. Jenkins highlighted several examples—Flavio Cobolli pronounced by McEnroe as “Carbelly,” “Cowbelly,” or “Chabally.” It’s a reminder of how tricky it can be in a sport that draws athletes from every corner of the globe to always get names right. (As a side note, Rob Manfred, the MLB commissioner, reportedly mangled the name of the number-one pick this week as well.) That is precisely why homework matters. In a world of college commencements where hundreds or thousands of names are called, in the NFL Draft where Roger Goodell receives a briefing on players’ names, and in tennis where the ATP and WTA Tours feature a handy site with players themselves pronouncing their names, getting it right should be a standard.
Here is Zverev saying his own name, clearly and correctly. It’s not that botching a name is the gravest sin; errors happen. But when mispronunciations become a persistent habit, and especially glaring on the sport’s most sacred day—Wimbledon’s final—it signals a lack of preparedness, or perhaps a broader issue of seriousness about the craft. Listening to Roddick is a pleasure, likely because he has honed his voice on his popular podcast, Served. Served isn’t just a “tennis bros” podcast; it’s a credible platform that reflects Roddick’s depth and his capacity for thoughtful discourse about the game. He brings a level of credibility and clarity that would serve ESPN well as it looks to the sport’s future.