Andy Roddick has launched a passionate defence of Novak Djokovic after the Serb recently won gold at the Paris Olympics.
The 37-year-old beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to finally claim the prize he'd wanted above all other, having achieved everything else in tennis throughout his glittering career.
Djokovic is a marmite figure in sport, with not everybody a huge fan of the Serb.
But Roddick has a message for the veteran's critics, insisting they don't deserve to watch tennis if they're a fan on social media 'ripping on' the icon.
Novak Djokovic critics have been blasted by Andy Roddick after the tennis star recently won gold at the Paris Olympics
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“If you're a fan that is on Twitter ripping on Novak, then you don't deserve to watch tennis," he said.
Djokovic won gold at the Olympics just weeks after he'd been thumped by Alcaraz in the final of Wimbledon.
Roddick has been blown away by the Serb's latest achievement, with the American saying Djokovic's gold ends the GOAT (greatest of all time) argument once and for all.
“Words will fail me when trying to express the respect that I have for Novak, obviously for the totality of his career," he said.
"Both of these things are true: he’s been physically compromised all year, and he said during the offseason last year that he would take a gold medal over any tournament in 2024, and I believe him.
"I think a lot of people say that because they feel like they should; Novak means it because that's the only hole in his resume.
"The only thing you can argue for someone else over Novak is an Olympic gold medal.”
He continued: “He knows that going out, you've been physically compromised all year, you haven't won a tournament, you haven't beaten a top 10 player all year, you had knee surgery on June 6th, and you won Olympic gold singles against the current best player on earth on August 4th.
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“You feel like there was a weight around this, you know?
"He's won Wimbledon seven times, not saying the Wimbledon final isn't the pinnacle of our sport. But I felt like this meant more, just based on feelings.
“I think Wimbledon helped, and I think he was healthy going in, and he was pretty honest about it.
"He said like, 'I feel better here than I did at Wimbledon by far.'
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Novak Djokovic beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win his first gold medal at the Olympics
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“He knew that his best chance at a medal, and we said this in the weird quasi-Olympic show from last week, he didn't mess around with doubles, he didn't stay in the village.
"He had a singular focus: ‘This is what I have to do.’"
While Djokovic has ended his wait for a gold medal, he won't be retiring any time soon.
Speaking after his win over Alcaraz, the 24-time Grand Slam winner said he was targeting the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 as he looks to add to his remarkable legacy.
Novak Djokovic was jubilant after beating Carlos Alcaraz to win gold at the Olympics
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“I still want to play in Los Angeles," he said.
"I enjoy playing for my country and the Olympic Games particularly and Davis Cup, being part of the team."
