'Grown-up' Roddick eyes US Open

Eurosport - Mon, 03 Aug 22:29:00 2009

Andy Roddick has "grown up" as a player and wants to use the confidence gained at Wimbledon to fuel a US Open title bid.

TENNIS andy roddick (usa) having beaten andy murray at 2009 wimbledon's semifinal. NOTxINxCHN - 0

Roddick said coach Larry Stefanki, hired late last year, has helped him in several areas, including fitness, nutrition, and his mental approach to the game.

"Toward the last six months of last year I felt I was going the wrong way," he said at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, where he is the top seed. "I dealt with some injuries. Then you start dealing with self-belief. Then you come back and take it on the chin a couple of times.

"Now, mentally, I've grown up on the court. I don't get too up or too down, which I used to be guilty of a lot earlier in my career. I'm just going to keep an even keel."

Roddick conceded that his epic five-set loss to Roger Federer at the All England Club was the culmination of an impressive year, not just a fabulous fortnight.

"It does help my confidence going into the US Open the fact that I was recently able to navigate my way through a major tournament," Roddick added.

"Those results can only help on a short-term basis, going into the US Open. But nothing's guaranteed. You still have to be in form."

The 26-year-old has been recovering from a hip injury and this week will play in his first tournament since his riveting 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14 loss to Federer.

Three-times winner of the DC hardcourt event, Roddick will play either American Robby Ginepri or Benjamin Becker of Germany in his first match on Wednesday.

"I'm not expecting to pick up where I left off a month ago," he said.

"I'd love to get off to a great start. But it would be presumptuous of me to expect that in my first match."

When Roddick won the US Open in 2003 many believed he would have won several major championships by now. But that title remains the only grand slam hardware in his trophy case.

In the wake of his courageous Wimbledon effort, however, those expectations have been re-kindled. Roddick said his resurgence actually began with a semi-final appearance at the 2009 Australian Open.

"I'm having difficulty separating Wimbledon from the rest of the year," said the fifth-ranked Roddick. "Everyone's focusing on that but I feel like I've been doing a lot of the things I applied at Wimbledon from January forward."

Roddick admitted he is enjoying reading his post-Wimbledon press clippings but concedes he must back it up with an impressive run at Flushing Meadows.

"I feel like I've been a pretty good tennis player regardless of what's happened over the last six weeks," he said. "I know I'm on the defensive quite a bit for that.

"So I'll take the good press coverage while it's there. I know it's fleeting."

Reuters

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  1. There was a joker on these boards who wanted Nadal to­ win 16. "Nurrr!" will you say anything­ against that wish? Especially to that Nadal-aholic­ Jude, no.

    "usyb4g" - Isn't luck such a­ wonderful thing to have? Wasn't Murray an unlucky­ loser last year? Maybe, but you play the hand­ you're dealt. Even if it stops at 15, Federer was a­ lucky tennis player by some distance.

    From KM, on Mon 10 Aug 2:00PM

  2. 11,12,13....nice!! he is too cocky these days...and­ benefitting from a certain players untimely injury no?­ lol

    From Jude, on Fri 7 Aug 2:16AM

  3. ok ... I hope not the same person ( RF ) win US OPEN­ ... he is very " LUCKY-BOY " .... now will be­ Roddick or Rafa or Murray .. or some one else ....­ NOT.. RF

    From Lusy, on Wed 5 Aug 11:42AM

  4. Federer won too many grand slams now. 15, that's­ the record. Now isn't that enough? Isn't it­ boring when the same person makes the same finals every­ time? I really wish Haas knocked Federer out in the­ fourth round of the French Open and Roddick beat­ Federer at the wimbledon final.

    Then things would be­ interesting. Really, I respect Federer's talent­ he's the greatest men's player ever. BUt I have­ to say I don't like it when the same person wins­ everything. I just noticed that this year.

    From Nurrr!, on Wed 5 Aug 3:17AM

  5. federer f*ck!!!

    From Cesc Fernando, on Tue 4 Aug 7:47PM

  6. A-ROD WILL BE A 1/4 FINALIST AT THE US OPEN, OR MAYBE­ SEMI-FINALIST IF RAFA PULLS OUT

    From Vítor, on Tue 4 Aug 10:30AM

  7. A lot's going to depend on the draw but if and­ whenever he gets to play RF I'll be praying that­ this time justice is done and he wins.

    From Katy, on Tue 4 Aug 10:12AM

  8. Playing his best tennis ever, I would say. Improved­ rallies and moving pretty much… but still I think he­ lack’s mentality of the champion.

    From Igor K, on Tue 4 Aug 9:16AM

  9. I don't know whether he'll win the US Open, but­ I'd love to see him in the final playing against­ Rafa and may the best man win. As long as it isn't­ Federer.

    From Jimmy, on Tue 4 Aug 8:08AM

  10. I really hope Roddick can finally win another grand­ slam soon. He has worked so hard the past few years­ with little reward for his effort. At wimbledon he­ showed that he can now compete and possibly beat the­ very best on the big stage. He has improved so much and­ he really deserves a spurt in the limelight. Federer­ has little more to achieve, Nadal is still recovering­ and Murray has his whole career ahead of him. It would­ be great if Roddick could get one more slice of­ victory.

    From andyhorgan28, on Tue 4 Aug 4:25AM

  11. I wouldn't be surprised if he won this year's­ US Open.I think his game's improved and he came so­ close to beating Federer at Wimbledon.I reckon he can­ do it this year at the US Open.He's thriving on­ confidence and self belief.Good luck A-Rod!

    From zipper, on Tue 4 Aug 2:31AM

  12. it would be incredible to see roddick win another grand­ slam. Such a shame federer had to come along else who­ knows how many grandslams he could have picked up by­ now?! A hand full of wimbledons are a certainty! If­ only he'd beaten him this year! Unbelievably­ unlucky! Hopefully his form continues and somebody­ downs fed before roddick has to play him, then andy has­ every chance for the US title! Good luck!

    From rickiegill10, on Tue 4 Aug 1:45AM

  13. Have to admit he's surprised me. He's having a­ great season. A year ago, I'd never have expected­ to say that "he seems to be getting better all the­ time" in reference to ANDY RODDICK!!! Fair play to­ him.

    From rhymes450, on Tue 4 Aug 1:41AM

  14. Im a Rafa fan but Roddick is right behind him in my­ eyes...a fantastic player, a humble winner or loser and­ a TRUE champion. I would be happy to see him take any­ GS I really would, he totally deserves more success and­ is one of the nicest most down to earth guys on the­ tour.

    From Jude, on Mon 3 Aug 11:03PM
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