SPEAK SLOWY AND CARRY A BIG STICK: THE ANDY RODDICK READER PART I
12-0: Roddick’s record in Davis Cup matches when he’s had a
chance to clinch the tie.
A LITTLE LESS CRAPPY’: After upping his record against Federer to
2-15, an elated Roddick
said, “I’m not going to sit here and act like all of a sudden I’ve fixed the problem. I’m batting 2-for-15 …
it’s a little less crappy.”
A MATTER OF MOJO: In ’05, American Express launched a
saturation marketing campaign at the U.S. Open touting Andy Roddick’s mojo.
Roddick was then rudely upset in the first round, which led to the
sky-is-falling suggestion that Andy had suddenly lost his mojo.
The campaign proved to be the most miserable tennis-related
marketing blitz since the oversized Wimbledon racket signed up Ilie
Nastase to endorse their frame and then the Romanian promptly went on
a rant against oversized frames.
‘NAH, THE THOUGHT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND’: Asked whether he ever
thought about how many Grand Slam titles Federer has cost him,
Roddick confided, “It’s impossible not to have that thought cross
your mind … You start thinking, ‘Okay, you’ve lost to
him six times in the semis or further at majors-[including a] couple
of Wimbledon finals where you’re playing well [and at] a Wimbledon
semi where you’re playing well.’ No, I’ve never thought about it…”
THE BEST MATCH NOBODY SAW II: The Andy Roddick-Younes El
Aynaoui 4-6, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-4, 21-19 classic was dubbed “the best match nobody
saw” since, after all, the ’03 Aussie Open quarterfinal was aired in
the middle of the night in America.
LORD OF ‘DA RINGS: Roddick explained that he got the engagement ring
he gave to Brooklyn Decker. “in a
gumball machine. You know those machines with the big claws?”
DON’T BE CRUEL: Andy has endured many a brutal headline. One we recall w “Roddick Breaks Streak – He Wins!”
THE TIPPING POINT: Andy’s coaching relationship with Jimmy Connors supposedly ended when Roddick wanted to stop in New York City on his way back from Dubai to see Brooklyn Decker, but Connors would not change his plans and come east from California to see him.
UNVARNISHED VIEW: Jon Wertheim offered an unsparing view of
Roddick: “The book on how to beat him is not only out but it’s dog-eared and tattered: Work the backhand, invite him to approach, let him self-destruct. The other problem is his comportment…Telling
the crowd to “shut up” and calling a grown adult an “idiot” is just
weak, petty stuff. It’s right out of the Jimmy Connors self-pity,
you-against-the-world primer.”
SPEAK SLOWLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK: In a caring moment of
thoughtfulness, Roddick told an ump, “I’m going to speak very slowly
so you can understand.”
‘THE OPERATION WAS A SUCCESS, BUT THE PATIENT DIED: After a loss in Melbourne, Andy noted, “It was miserable; it sucked; it was terrible. Besides that, it was fine.”
CONFRONTING COURIER: A few years back, Roddick turned the tables and asked him in front of a huge crowd, “You’re in your mid-30s and aren’t married. Do you have any commitment issues?”
EXPLETIVE NOT DELETED: After being told that he did a better job in his
post-match press conference than in his semifinal loss to Federer, Andy said “no s—.”
DISCO BOWLING: A former high school basketball player, Roddick joked that he recently “bowled a 56 in disco bowling and then threw a party.”
ATTENTION ANDY RODDICK: After losing late in his career to Roddick, Guga Kuerten said, “(We) need another (U.S. star) or we’re not going to have any interest in the U.S. People (are) getting frustrated. So we need some American to play well.”
TURN LEFT FOR HOURS: Reflecting on tennis’ problematic popularity in America, Roddick said, “It’s a little disappointing we’re behind auto racing, a sport that you turn left for four hours. I mean, around the world
[tennis] is probably just behind soccer as far as the biggest sport
in the world.”
WHO IS BROOKLYN DECKER [AND WHY DO WE LOVE HER SO MUCH]: Roddick’s
wife Brooklyn was named after a horse named Brook. She grew up in North Carolina and her modeling career began when she was discovered in a mall. She headed off to New York after high school, has been in SI’s swimsuit issue repeatedly and as a self-described hippie child, loves the Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.
RODDICK BY THE NUMBERS:
5. The max number of additional Grand Slams he might have won if
Federer had stuck playing soccer as a kid instead of taking up tennis.
4. The goals Andy long ago set for himself: winning the U.S. Open
(check); becoming No. 1 (check); winning Wimbledon (close but no
cigar); winning the Davis Cup (check).
3. Roddick’s three sporting heroes are Agassi, Lance Armstrong and
Muhammad Ali.
A CHARITABLE THOUGHT: Two of the top 10 athlete’s charities
in the U.S. are backed by tennis players: Agassi at No. 3 (just behind Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong) and Roddick at No. 10?
