Andy Roddick rips apart billionaire and demands tennis match is investigated

Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick has launched a scathing attack on the Tennis Hall of Fame and billionaire Bill Ackman after a controversial doubles match at the Hall of Fame Open.

Ackman, a 59-year-old hedge fund tycoon with a reported net worth of around the £7billion mark, made his pro tennis debut this week alongside retired star Jack Sock, only to draw sharp condemnation from Roddick, who labelled the match "the biggest joke I’ve ever watched in professional tennis."

Teaming up with Sock – a two-time Wimbledon doubles champion – Ackman received a wildcard to compete against Australians Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika in an ATP Challenger-level event, which is traditionally meant for young prospects or players returning from injuries.

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The match, held Thursday in Newport, Rhode Island, was lopsided, as Jasika and Tomic coasted to a 6-1, 7-5 win in just over an hour.

Footage shared widely online showed Ackman struggling with fundamental strokes, committing double faults and looking thoroughly outmatched, sparking widespread outrage. During his , Roddick was blunt in his criticism and even demanded an official inquiry into the match.

"It was a match where it looked like four players were in the bag," the American, 42, said furiously. "Bill Ackman – who has been a massive tennis fan, supporter, funds the PTPA (Professional Tennis Players Association), the whole thing – wanted to play a pro tournament.

"You don't give a wildcard to someone who 59 players at my club are better than. I'm on committees for the Hall of Fame. I'm honoured to be part of the Hall of Fame. I have great relationships with people on the Hall of Fame, and you can disagree with people that you have a good relationship with. This was a total miss.

"The job of the Hall of Fame is to preserve and celebrate excellence in our sport. This was the biggest joke I've ever watched in professional tennis. Even Tomic… he was serving 50mph to someone. He’d have a sitter and he'd play it softly."

Roddick's frustration was echoed across the tennis community. Outraged fans posted their own criticisms, with one likening Ackman's appearance to a “Make-A-Wish stunt," while another slammed it as a "circus event." Veteran tennis organiser Randy Walker described it as "the absolute worst professional tennis match I've ever seen."

Roddick also implied that the level of play was so low that it may have violated the ATP's 'best effort' policy. According to ATP rules, players are required to give full effort on every point, with penalties ranging from steep fines to suspensions if they are found to be slacking.

"If there was any sort of review process in tennis... I remember [Nick] Kyrgios got fined for tanking [his performance] one year, because, like, if it's obviously less than your best effort apparently that qualifies," Roddick said. "This match is going to be under review. It has to be.

"There was exactly one person on that court trying as hard as they could. One person. If you want to be argue with me, go back and watch that video – you can't tell me there was more than one person trying as hard as they could every point, or any point. It was a disaster.

"This was beneath the Hall of Fame, in my opinion. It's nothing personal against Bill Ackman. He can do what he wants. His dream was to do it and someone is going to let him do it. It's not his fault, I don't blame him. Someone has to say yes to this. It was rough. It's the Hall of Fame. That's what's breaking my heart a little bit… it sucks."

Mirror Sport has contacted the ATP for an official response.

For his part, Ackman acknowledged his nerves got the better of him. Posting on X, he described the match as "humbling" and said he now holds a deeper appreciation for pros who perform under pressure.

"Throughout the match, my wrist, arm and body literally froze with the expected negative outcomes," the 59-year-old wrote. "I had difficulty breathing, and it was not a fitness issue. It got a bit better as the match progressed, but I was not able to overcome it."

The incident has sparked wider discussion about wealth, access, and fairness in professional tennis. As the fallout continues, Roddick's push for accountability reflects broader concerns about maintaining the sport's credibility.