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Former American tennis star Andy Roddick claims he was robbed in broad daylight by a Russian police officer nearly 20 years ago when he was in Moscow for a Davis Cup tie.
In 2006 September, the United States traveled to Moscow to take on Russia in the Davis Cup semifinal. That year, the American team was led by Roddick and former world No. 4 James Blake, as well as the greatest doubles duo in tennis history - Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan.
According to Roddick - while in Russia for Davis Cup action - a police officer demanded Roddick to give him money from his pocket or he would throw him into jail.
"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. I paid it and he went on his way. No emotion. Transactional. Let’s not get to that level of normalizing crazy stuff. It ain’t it," Roddick wrote on X.
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. I paid it and he went on his way. No emotion. Transactional. Let’s…
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) February 16, 2024
Roddick: Never went back to Russia
In a follow-up post, Roddick added: "Never went back."
Never went back
— andyroddick (@andyroddick) February 16, 2024
That year, the United States suffered a 2-3 defeat to Russia in the Davis Cup semifinal, in a tie that was played on a clay surface in Moscow.
After the opening day of the tie, the United States found themselves in a very difficult position after Roddick lost to Marat Safin and Blake lost to Mikhail Youzhny, respectively.
On Day 2, the Bryan brothers kept the United States alive after beating Youzhny and Dmitry Tursunov in the doubles rubber.
Down 1-2, Roddick entered the Tursunov match on Sunday in a must-win situation. But after Tursunov claimed a 6-3 6-4 5-7 3-6 17-15 win, Russia went 3-1 ahead and sealed their win over the United States. In a dead rubber, Blake defeated Safin as Russia won in the end with a 3-2 score.
But Roddick and the United States got their revenge in 2007, beating Russia in the 2017 Davis Cup final in Portland.