4:34PM
CBSSports.com: Roddick gains independence from doubt in banner Wimbledon for U.S.
4:34 PM
By Art Spander
The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
WIMBLEDON, England -- He was overlooked and underestimated. Andy Roddick was considered of another generation. Time and tennis supposedly had passed him by. "Some people," he said, "were not giving me much of chance."
But it wasn't so much what anyone gave him. It was what Roddick took. He played tennis the way Pete Sampras and the Aussies like Rod Laver used to play it, going to the net, going for the jugular. And now, in a surprise, he's going to the Wimbledon final.
The Fourth of July, the celebration of America's independence from England. It's not a holiday over here. They had hoped to make it one, for another reason.
They had hoped Andy Murray would give them Britain's first men's singles finalist in 71 years and their first men's singles champion in 73 years. But it's not to be because of Roddick.
Wave the stars and stripes. Fly the flag, as they say here.
Roddick, the 26-year-old, the over-the-hill guy, beat Murray, the Scot -- "The Hero," as the tabloid Sun called him -- 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) Friday in what must be considered an upset.
So Roddick gets to the final for the third time but for the first time in four years where, for better or worse on Sunday, he'll face the great Roger Federer.
Federer will be playing in the Wimbledon final a seventh straight year, which never had been accomplished -- but they've only been playing here since 1877 -- and the final of a Grand Slam event a 15th time of the last 16 opportunities. He had the expected easy time against Tommy Haas, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3.
Federer has five Wimbledon titles, all in a row, 2003-07, a streak stopped last year by Rafael Nadal. One more, at Wimbledon or at the U.S. Open, wherever, and Roger, the 27-year-old Swiss, breaks the tie with Sampras and wins his record 15th Grand Slam title.
"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved," said Federer, "because I never thought I could be successful as a kid."
Not many people, Roddick included, thought Roddick could again be successful after last year. But he joins Serena and Venus Williams, who meet in Saturday's women's final, as poignant voices of American tennis.
Three of the four singles finalists are from the U.S., and Venus and Serena will team up in the women's doubles final, also Saturday. Maybe someone besides the Russians can play the game.
When Roddick, who won the 2003 U.S. Open and then eventually lost to Federer in the '04 and '05 Wimbledon finals, was stunned by Janko Tipsarevic in the second round at Wimbledon in 2008, he wasn't sure he could play it anymore.
"Oh yeah," he answered when someone asked Roddick if he doubted he again could get as far as a Grand Slam final. "That was a hard couple of weeks."
Referring to his bride of four months, Brooklyn, then his fiancée, Roddick explained, "Brook and I had a lot of talks if I thought I could still play and at least be toward the top of the game. I definitely questioned [that]. The rest of the year I was kind of hurt."
He connected with a new coach, Larry Stefanki, who played at Cal and is married to one of the daughters of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback John Brodie. Roddick made new commitments, to diet, to work, to getting to bed early.
"I gave myself every opportunity to succeed," he said.
Murray, 22, had every opportunity to succeed this week. And the pressure of a nation desperately wanting him to succeed. "Beam Us Up, Andy," was the headline in Friday's Sun. Another, in the Times, was, "Andy is fighting for his life and will not give up."
The front pages of the dailies were all on Michael Jackson, the back pages on Andy Murray. But in the battle of the Andys -- "Andymonium," someone called it -- Roddick survived, and on match point he fell to his knees and grabbed his head.
"I didn't know," Roddick would sigh, "if I'd ever get a chance of playing for another Grand Slam title. But make no mistake, I've been a much better player than I was last year."
Against Murray, Stefanki advised Roddick, normally a baseline player, went to the net, like grasscourt players of the past.
"He came up with some good volleys," Murray said of Roddick. "I mean, he makes volleys. He normally doesn't miss a lot. You have to make [passing shots], and I didn't make as many as I needed. But he serves so well, it makes it even more important for you to serve well. If you don't do that, he's going to create chances, because he came to the net a lot today."
Federer has an 18-2 record against Roddick and has beaten him in three Grand Slam finals -- '04 and '05 here, '06 in the U.S. Open.
"I think if he serves like he did, 130 miles an hour, [a percentage] in the high 70s, 80, regardless of whether it's Roger or me or anybody else, [Roddick's] got a good chance," Murray said.
At least he has a chance. He's in the final. Not a bad couple of days for the USA.
- - - - - -
http://www.cbssports.com/tennis/story/11920629
© 2009 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved.
The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com
WIMBLEDON, England -- He was overlooked and underestimated. Andy Roddick was considered of another generation. Time and tennis supposedly had passed him by. "Some people," he said, "were not giving me much of chance."
But it wasn't so much what anyone gave him. It was what Roddick took. He played tennis the way Pete Sampras and the Aussies like Rod Laver used to play it, going to the net, going for the jugular. And now, in a surprise, he's going to the Wimbledon final.
The Fourth of July, the celebration of America's independence from England. It's not a holiday over here. They had hoped to make it one, for another reason.
They had hoped Andy Murray would give them Britain's first men's singles finalist in 71 years and their first men's singles champion in 73 years. But it's not to be because of Roddick.
Wave the stars and stripes. Fly the flag, as they say here.
Roddick, the 26-year-old, the over-the-hill guy, beat Murray, the Scot -- "The Hero," as the tabloid Sun called him -- 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (5) Friday in what must be considered an upset.
So Roddick gets to the final for the third time but for the first time in four years where, for better or worse on Sunday, he'll face the great Roger Federer.
Federer will be playing in the Wimbledon final a seventh straight year, which never had been accomplished -- but they've only been playing here since 1877 -- and the final of a Grand Slam event a 15th time of the last 16 opportunities. He had the expected easy time against Tommy Haas, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3.
Federer has five Wimbledon titles, all in a row, 2003-07, a streak stopped last year by Rafael Nadal. One more, at Wimbledon or at the U.S. Open, wherever, and Roger, the 27-year-old Swiss, breaks the tie with Sampras and wins his record 15th Grand Slam title.
"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved," said Federer, "because I never thought I could be successful as a kid."
Not many people, Roddick included, thought Roddick could again be successful after last year. But he joins Serena and Venus Williams, who meet in Saturday's women's final, as poignant voices of American tennis.
Three of the four singles finalists are from the U.S., and Venus and Serena will team up in the women's doubles final, also Saturday. Maybe someone besides the Russians can play the game.
When Roddick, who won the 2003 U.S. Open and then eventually lost to Federer in the '04 and '05 Wimbledon finals, was stunned by Janko Tipsarevic in the second round at Wimbledon in 2008, he wasn't sure he could play it anymore.
"Oh yeah," he answered when someone asked Roddick if he doubted he again could get as far as a Grand Slam final. "That was a hard couple of weeks."
Referring to his bride of four months, Brooklyn, then his fiancée, Roddick explained, "Brook and I had a lot of talks if I thought I could still play and at least be toward the top of the game. I definitely questioned [that]. The rest of the year I was kind of hurt."
He connected with a new coach, Larry Stefanki, who played at Cal and is married to one of the daughters of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback John Brodie. Roddick made new commitments, to diet, to work, to getting to bed early.
"I gave myself every opportunity to succeed," he said.
Murray, 22, had every opportunity to succeed this week. And the pressure of a nation desperately wanting him to succeed. "Beam Us Up, Andy," was the headline in Friday's Sun. Another, in the Times, was, "Andy is fighting for his life and will not give up."
The front pages of the dailies were all on Michael Jackson, the back pages on Andy Murray. But in the battle of the Andys -- "Andymonium," someone called it -- Roddick survived, and on match point he fell to his knees and grabbed his head.
"I didn't know," Roddick would sigh, "if I'd ever get a chance of playing for another Grand Slam title. But make no mistake, I've been a much better player than I was last year."
Against Murray, Stefanki advised Roddick, normally a baseline player, went to the net, like grasscourt players of the past.
"He came up with some good volleys," Murray said of Roddick. "I mean, he makes volleys. He normally doesn't miss a lot. You have to make [passing shots], and I didn't make as many as I needed. But he serves so well, it makes it even more important for you to serve well. If you don't do that, he's going to create chances, because he came to the net a lot today."
Federer has an 18-2 record against Roddick and has beaten him in three Grand Slam finals -- '04 and '05 here, '06 in the U.S. Open.
"I think if he serves like he did, 130 miles an hour, [a percentage] in the high 70s, 80, regardless of whether it's Roger or me or anybody else, [Roddick's] got a good chance," Murray said.
At least he has a chance. He's in the final. Not a bad couple of days for the USA.
- - - - - -
http://www.cbssports.com/tennis/story/11920629
© 2009 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved.
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