"Novak Djokovic doesn't need to do anything" - Andy Roddick defends Serb's off-court appearance alongside Steph Curry after Indian Wells early exit

Andy Roddick recently defended Novak Djokovic after the latter was spotted attending the Golden State Warriors vs Los Angeles Lakers game last Sunday (March 17).

The 24-time Major winner has not enjoyed a good season on the ATP Tour this year. The Serb lost his singles fixture to Australia's Alex de Minaur in the United Cup quarterfinals in January. He then failed to defend his 2023 title at the Australian Open a few weeks later, losing in four sets to eventual champion Jannik Sinner.

Novak Djokovic's season worsened at the Indian Wells Masters, where he was upset by Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi in three sets in the third round. The 36-year-old subsequently withdrew from the Miami Masters to spend some time with his family.

While the World No. 1 hasn't been in his best form in 2024, he is seemingly under no pressure to perform and has been making a lot of public appearances. He recently met Steph Curry at the Crypto.com Arena following the NBA play-off between Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers last Sunday.

The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player also exchanged his jersey for Djokovic's racquet after the match, which went 128-121 in the Warriors' favour. The interaction led some tennis fans to believe that the Serb was distracting himself from his woes on tour.

Andy Roddick shut down such assertions on his podcast, claiming that Novak Djokovic had achieved enough in his career over the years to relish in his victories.

"He was at a game, trading jerseys and racquet with Steph Curry... did a lot of PR the week before in Indian Wells. Everyone's like, 'he needs to focus.' He doesn't need to do anything. He knows what to do, to put himself in the position, he is in his 'legacy' era," Andy Roddick said on his podcast (39:00). "That doesn't mean he can't continue to dominate, right? He knows what to do, the loss is gonna piss him off, but also yes, family is gonna take hold, he is 36 years old."

The former World No. 1 further insisted that Djokovic was justified in wanting to meet Curry as the latter is one of the best basketballers in NBA history.

"He is a maniac, start to finish, and has been for 20 years, in a good way. I mean that in a very complimenting face, so. Nolefams don't go full Twitter finger and annihilate me," he added (39:33). "Everyone who's like he shouldn't go to a Warriors game after a fluke loss and associate with other people who are [among] the greatest ever, that is dumb. That's so dumb, like, he's a grownup. If he wants to go to something, he knows what to do."

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"Novak Djokovic does hardest things on earth so well, and these little things consistently just kind of fester him" - Andy Roddick on Serb's Indian Wells controversy

Novak Djokovic had a few choice words for Luca Nardi after their match in Indian Wells

During the podcast, the 2003 US Open winner also invited tennis journalist Jon Wertheim to discuss Novak Djokovic's behavior after his third-round exit at last week's Indian Wells Masters.

Wertheim claimed that the Serb would likely apologize to Luca Nardi for antagonizing him for stopping midway through a point in the second set of their three-set encounter, if they ever crossed paths again.

"I don't think it was his proudest moment, I suspect next time he sees Nardi, he's gonna congratulate him, apologize," the journalist said on the 'Served with Andy Roddick' podcast (38:00).

Andy Roddick agreed with the American, finding the World No. 1's behavior similar to his own on-court antics during his heyday.

"I think that's true. I think in the rearview, he would agree. If you watch a replay, I don't know how you sit by that opinion frankly," he said (38:04). "But we don't have that benefit of the doubt in real-time. Listen, I am as guilty as anyone, like valuing my feelings on the court over the facts of the situation."

Roddick did add, however, that the 36-year-old was sometimes frustrating to cover as a journalist.

"Just a frustrating part of covering Novak is you want him to have that unilateral support, and you get the benefit of the doubt. He does the hardest things on earth so well, and these little things... they consistently just kind of fester him."