Tennis great Andy Roddick will take a new pivot toward the net as an analyst for ESPN‘s match and studio coverage tied to the sport. Roddick, who has worked for Fox Sports and Tennis Channel in the past, will join the Disney sports giant’s roster of tennis commentators just prior to Wimbledon.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Andy to the team. ESPN has long led the way in delivering in-depth tennis analysis, and with several recent talent additions, we’ve further strengthened our coverage,” said Linda Schulz, ESPN’s vice president of production, in a prepared statement. “Andy brings a distinctive, energetic, and highly relevant voice that will elevate both our studio and match coverage.”
When it comes to tennis, ESPN has been working on its serve. The sports outlet in January named popular basketball host Malika Andrews to lead tennis coverage at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
ESPN said it struck a “multi-year deal” with Roddick, who retired from the sport in 2012 after reaching the Wimbledon finals three times and the U.S. Open finals once. Between 2002 and 2010, Roddick landed nine consecutive year-end top 10 finishes in the ATP rankings. He helped lead the United States to the 2007 Davis Cup title. Roddick was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017.
Roddick has made appearances in the past on shows including “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “The Weakest Link” and “Celebrity Family Feud.”
“Simply, I’m always just a massive fan of tennis,” Roddick said in a statement. “I’m very excited to join the ESPN tennis team and look forward to covering the two biggest tournaments in the world.”