FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Andy Roddick bristled at ESPN analysts after his first-round win over Michael Russell, telling Chris Fowler, “Tennis analyst is the easiest job in the world because whatever the person does, if it works you just say that’s what’s good, and if it doesn’t work, you guys go, ‘He should have done the other things.’ So, you know, I’m pretty convinced that I could be a tennis analyst when I’m done. It just doesn’t take much thought. If I’m grinding and I’m winning, you guys are like, “‘He’s reinvented himself.’ If I’m playing like crap and pushing, then, you know, ‘He’s horrible and he needs to hit the ball.’ Everyone’s an expert but I’m better than most of them, I believe.” In response, one fan tweeted, “So much respect for andy roddick and his comments! Comments were so true. Hope he wins the Open.” But another cautioned, “dude, you didn’t come off clever in your rant last night; you came off like a whiny, spoiled punk who can’t take criticism.”
ADVICE FOR A CURRENT NO. 1 SERB FROM A FORMER NO. 1 SERB: Ana Ivanovic had a few words of advice for fellow countryman and current No. 1 Novak Djokovic, saying, “It’s a lot harder to stay there than to get there. I think he’s doing great. It’s very important to stick with the same things. You have to keep motivated and keep inspired and hungry for success. Because sometimes it’s easy to take things for granted, and before you know it, it slips away from you.”
HEY, SERENA, WHAT’S UP WITH KIM, KOURTNEY AND KLOHE?: Harvey Araton said Serena Williams is “still the most feared player when she is not immersed in all things Kardashian.”
PETKO’S NO D-ROD: Asked if any other athletes in sports remind her of herself, Germany’s Andrea Petkovic said, “I don’t have any tattoos and piercings, so I wouldn’t say Dennis Rodman…I’m just trying to be myself…I’m obviously very emotional, and I just try to live my emotions even if it’s negative. Sometimes it’s positive. I am I’m very free-minded when it comes to this. If I feel like dancing, I dance. If I don’t feel like it, I don’t. I don’t care what other people say about me, so I guess that’s being me.”
OH, NO, NOT AGAIN: With five German women reaching the second round at the U.S. Open, Andrea Petkovic said, “We’re going to conquer the world soon.”
MOST RELATIONSHIPS END: Serena Williams gave Caroline Wozniacki a few love-life tips, but cautioned against anyone else following her advice: “I hope she didn’t listen…I told her never look through the guy’s phone. That’s the worst thing you can do. I told her most relationships end. It wasn’t very good advice.”
HE’S A SUPER DIVER, BUT HE’S NO X-MAN: Gael Monfils, who was upset by former U.S. Open finalist J.C. Ferrero in five sets on Thursday, reflected on his reputation as one of sport’s most wildly athletic performers. Said the Frenchman, “All the people think I’m like elastic. You know, I’m diving. If I stay a little bit longer on the floor, they’re like, ‘He’s acting.’ I’m not like X-Man, you know. For 30 seconds I hurt. But maybe something is missing upstairs. So I’m going back then. Doesn’t matter. I think I’m kind of blessed because I never really hurt myself. I think I’m gifted on that.”
DECORUM DEBATE: During his first-round loss to Marin Cilic, 19-year-old Ryan Harrison continually heaved his racket and kicked at the ball. His behavior prompted this debate on The Tennis Channel:
MARY CARILLO: “Mr. Cranky pants…I don’t know why he hasn’t at least been warned, because he’s just acting like a brat out there. You don’t think so? You can defend what he’s doing?
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: “He’s competing hard. It means a lot to him.”
MARY CARILLO: “It means a lot to a lot of people.”
JUSTIN GIMELSTOB: “It’s inherently tied to why he’s going to be an excellent player — his competitiveness, because he cares so much. Does he have a lot to learn? Does he have maturation in front of him? 100 percent. He’s 19. I’m not saying it’s okay. I’m saying it’s something for him to learn from, to use his emotions in a positive way.”
A COG IN THE RUSSIAN WHEEL: Asked how tennis was doing in his native country, Russo-American Dmitry Tursunov said Russia had a lot of people playing, “but a lot of times it’s better for coaches to work with the businessmen who pay three times as much than work with the kids who are coached for a ‘Thank you,’ and then half of those kids run off to Bollettieri’s. Business-wise, it doesn’t make sense for coaches to invest their heart and soul into a kid who in three years is going to go off to Bollettieri’s.” As for tennis in the affluent West, Tursunov said that for most kids “their biggest problem is what app to download on their iPhone. A lot of people these days are superficial.”
MAKING HISTORY: After more-than-talkative commentator Brad Gilbert paused for a moment, ESPN’s Hannah Storm asked, “Did I actually see you speechless for a few seconds. I think we’ve made history here.”
HEADLINES
Cinderella Spotted at Open (Christina McHale)
Is Venus’ Career Over?
THE NUMBERS
60%: Of his professional time that Times of London correspondent Neil Harman says he spends chronicling Andy Murray‘s career
QUOTEBOOK
“There’s a difference between what he’s done and where he is. I’ve been imploring him to change the way he’s playing. I don’t believe he’s done that.” — John McEnroe on Andy Roddick
“Christina McHale can turn on a dime. So has her season.” — Doug Robson, noting the 19-year-old’s summer wins over Caroline Wozniacki, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Marion Bartoli
“Keep it simple, stupid.” — Jan-Michael Gambill‘s advice for his new pupil, CoCo Vendeweghe, who fell in the second round to No. 9 seed Sam Stosur
“I don’t need my twins to put life in perspective or my tennis life. I’ve always been at peace with the game or without the game.” — Roger Federer
“Tennis doesn’t get to preview its future to the masses on national television in so-called amateur settings, as football and basketball do. There is no spring training, as in baseball, to watch out for the shortstop of the future.” — Harvey Araton, The New York Times
