"Roger Federer didn’t have holes" - Andy Roddick on Swiss "creating" Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, and Carlos Alcaraz

Andy Roddick recently opined on how Roger Federer's game led to a chain reaction of players who evolved into a version of themselves without any 'weaknesses'. The American said that the Swiss Maestro was the first person who didn't have any holes in his game.

Roddick, a former World No. 1, struggled against Federer from the get-go of their rivalry losing the first four matches. Things never got better for Roddick against whom the 20-time Grand Slam champion boasted a staggering 21-3 lead in their head-to-head.

While discussing his former nemesis' game on his podcast Served with Andy Roddick, the 42-year-old said that he was the first player on tour with no weaknesses.

"Roger was the first person that didn't have weaknesses, didn't have weaknesses," the American said. (at 29:10)

He added that the Swiss Maestro's game led to a chain reaction that ended up 'creating' players of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Jannik Sinner's caliber, who don't have any 'holes' in their game. The 2003 US Open champion also added that only Carlos Alcaraz in the current lot of players can keep up with Sinner.

"Roger was the first one that didn't have holes, and then that creates Rafa (Nadal), who didn't, and that creates Novak who didn't, and that creates Sinner, who now, I don’t know how the hell you beat him or what the strategy is beyond just keeping it close and hoping unless you're Carlos Alcaraz," Roddick added. (at 29:38)

Roddick added that having a front-row seat to the Big 3 was a privilege.

"So it was an absolute pleasure of a lifetime to have a front-row seat to see these geniuses. Listen, hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard. When you have both, Fu**eeMcGoo to everybody else."

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Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick in all of their Grand Slam finals

The 2009 Wimbledon men's final (Source: Getty)

Andy Roddick won the first major of his career at his home slam, the US Open, in 2003 after defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets. After that, the American reached the finals of a Grand Slam four times but ended up losing to Roger Federer on all four occasions.

The first of his four defeats came at Wimbledon in 2004 where the Swiss Maestro won 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-4, following which he got the better of Roddick at SW19 again the next year 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-4. Federer defeated the American 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 at his home major in 2006.

In their final Grand Slam final meeting, Federer defeated Roddick 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14 in the 2009 Wimbledon final.