Former world no.1 Andy Roddick never returned to Russia after being 'robbed' in the street by a police officer

Andy Roddick, the former World No. 1, recounted a startling incident where he was robbed by a police officer while in Russia for a Davis Cup match in 2006. 

The 2003 US Open winner traveled to Russia for a tie against the Russian team, ultimately losing 3-2 in Moscow. Roddick himself was defeated by Dmitry Tursunov in a tight match that ended 17-15.

The next year, in the 2007 final held in Portland, Roddick and his team got their revenge, winning 4-1. The experience in Russia, however, weighed heavily on Roddick, and he has not returned to the country since. 

The ordeal occurred when a police officer threatened to arrest him if he didn't hand over the $300 cash he had on him. Roddick chose to pay up and leave rather than escalate the situation, and the incident has since deterred him from visiting Russia again.

It's worth noting that Russia is currently embroiled in a conflict with Ukraine, a situation that has been a major focus in the tennis world, particularly among WTA players. Roddick's experience further underscores the complexities and challenges faced by athletes when traveling internationally.

“I got robbed by a police officer on the street in Russia in 2006 when we were there for Davis Cup. True story. Came up and said how much cash do you have? I said $300… he simply said give it to me or go to jail,” wrote the American in a tweet on X that he has since deleted.

“I paid it and he went on his way. No emotion. Transactional. Let’s not get to that level of normalising crazy s**t. It ain’t it. Never went back.”

When asked if he had thought about making the incident public, Roddick explained that his primary concern was to safely complete his obligations and leave Russia without causing any trouble. He mentioned, "Nope. I wanted to do my job and get out of there safely. At that time, I didn’t wanna make a stink in case it was just a bad actor. Looking back, I now understand the surrounding factors."

Nope. I wanted to do my job, and get out of there safely. At that time, I didn’t wanna make a stink incase it was just a bad actor. Looking back, I now understand the surrounding factors — andyroddick (@andyroddick) February 16, 2024