Andy Roddick Responds to Andre Agassi's Comments on Alexander Zverev at the 2026 Laver Cup

Team Europe dominated Team World with a 13-5 victory at the 2026 Laver Cup. The win was sealed when Alexander Zverev defeated Learner Tien in straight sets, clinching the overall triumph for his team.

Andre Agassi’s Take on Zverev

After the match, Team World captain Andre Agassi had some pointed remarks for Zverev, the world number two. Agassi joked about Zverev’s mindset following his first Grand Slam win.

"Congratulations, Sascha, on a crazy year. Seeing you win [a Grand Slam] for the first time, I know how important that was to you, and it was important to me too, because I could start listening to your press conferences again. You weren’t like, 'Waah, why do I always lose? Why am I the third best in the world? I suck.' But then you win, and it’s like, 'I’m only a one-time Slam champion; I’ve got to do it again,'" said Agassi.

Andy Roddick’s Reaction to Agassi’s Comments

Former world number one Andy Roddick shared his thoughts during his podcast Served with Andy Roddick. He highlighted Agassi’s ability to switch tones rapidly—from teasing Zverev to delivering a heartfelt message to his own team, who struggled on the final day.

"Andre has an unbelievable ability to shift gears very, very quickly. He can go from kind of roasting Zverev to having a very heartfelt moment to his team. His team loves playing for him; by the way, there is no doubt about it," Roddick explained.

Roddick also noted Zverev's resilience when facing criticism.

"Say what you want about Sascha, and obviously there are a million different opinions. In my experience, if you go after him, he normally receives it well. I’ve criticised him and his game, and he’ll often go, 'Yeah, that’s accurate.'"

Alexander Zverev’s Performance Since March

• Indian Wells: Semi-final, 4 wins (Matteo Berrettini, Brandon Nakashima, Frances Tiafoe, Arthur Fils), lost to Jannik Sinner
• Miami Open: Semi-final, 4 wins (Martin Damm Jr, Marin Cilic, Quentin Halys, Francisco Cerundolo), lost to Jannik Sinner
• Monte Carlo Masters: Semi-final, 3 wins (Cristian Garin, Zizou Bergs, Joao Fonseca), lost to Jannik Sinner
• Munich Open: Semi-final, 3 wins (Miomir Kecmanovic, Gabriel Diallo, Francisco Cerundolo), lost to Flavio Cobolli
• Madrid Open: Final, 5 wins (Mariano Navone, Terence Atmane, Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli, Alexander Blockx), lost to Jannik Sinner
• Italian Open: Fourth round, 2 wins (Daniel Altmaier, Alexander Blockx), lost to Luciano Darderi
• French Open: Champion, 7 wins (Benjamin Bonzi, Tomas Machac, Quentin Halys, Jesper De Jong, Rafael Jodar, Jakub Mensik, Flavio Cobolli)
• Halle Open: Semi-final, 3 wins (Vit Kopriva, Yannick Hanfmann, Raphael Collignon), lost to Taylor Fritz
• Wimbledon: Final, 6 wins (Alexander Blockx, Valentin Royer, Marcos Giron, Jiri Lehecka, Taylor Fritz, Arthur Fery), lost to Jannik Sinner
• Canadian Open: Second round, 0 wins, lost to Tallon Griekspoor
• Cincinnati Open: Fourth round, 2 wins (Cameron Norrie, Terence Atmane), lost to Tommy Paul
• US Open: Champion, 7 wins (Lorenzo Sonego, Quentin Halys, Alejandro Tabilo, Luciano Darderi, Botic van de Zandschulp, Karen Khachanov, Ben Shelton)
• Laver Cup: Champion, 1 win (Learner Tien), lost to Alex de Minaur

Roddick on Zverev Taking Agassi’s Jabs

Roddick suggested that Agassi knew how to read the room. With Zverev coming off two major titles in 90 days, he was more open to jokes. The mood shifted as Agassi praised the effort of his own squad.

Zverev seemed unfazed by the remarks and was laughing with Team Europe. As Roddick said, winning helps make jokes easier to take.

Zverev’s Upcoming Challenge: China Open

Right after lifting the Laver Cup, Zverev will compete at the China Open in Beijing. As the top seed, he enters as a favorite but faces a tough draw ahead.

• First Round: Cameron Norrie
• Second Round: Sebastian Baez or Juncheng Shang
• Quarter-final: Potential match against Novak Djokovic (seeded 6)
• Semi-final: Possible opponents include Alex de Minaur (seeded 3) or Daniil Medvedev / Jakub Mensik
• Final: Likely to face Felix Auger-Aliassime (seeded 2) or Alex de Minaur

Zverev has yet to win the China Open but reached the semi-finals three times before (2017, 2019, 2023). His campaign starts September 30 on Centre Court against Norrie.