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Tennis

Roddick needs to win this title

By GARY SHELTON
Published June 28, 2005

There are times when being the anointed one seems to annoy him, times when the chip on his shoulder seems almost as big as the pressures that have been there for years.

An affable guy, Andy Roddick, quick enough to step out of the way of question and clever enough to return volley. Then comes another question about the mounting expectations, and Roddick's eyes grow dark. He has become America's Tim Henman, and at times, Roddick seems weary of playing the role.

There are times, too, when being an older statesman seems to baffle him, times when he shakes his head as he is asked to provide sage wisdom for younger players such as Andrew Murray or Rafael Nadal.

A young guy, Roddick, old enough to shave but young enough not to be committed to it. Still, the questions about the next wave of players seem like a reminder that time is flashing past and his window is not open as wide as once it seemed. Roddick is two months away from 23. By the same age, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe already had won Wimbledon. Boris Becker had won it three times.

Then there are the times when Roddick seems overcome by perspective, when he leans forward and talks about how special the Wimbledon tennis tournament is, even to those millionaires who play here. He talks about the ivy-covered fences and the queues of fans who line up for the following day's play even as the players are leaving.

A smart guy, Roddick, and in those moments when he grows quiet and serious, you see the saving grace of America's best male tennis player.

Despite the occasional ball hit outside of the occasional line, yeah, the kid still gets it.

Whether the kid still wins it, well, that's up in the air.

In the career of Roddick, this is a crucial tournament, and even he seems to sense it. You can only be the young lion for so long before the hunt is called off, and Roddick has been America's Next Hope for a while now. It is time to make a serious run at Wimbledon.

A talented guy, Roddick, and there are flashes when it is easy to envision him hoisting the championship trophy into the air. Roddick played his best match of the tournament Monday, rushing Guillermo Coria off the court quickly enough, efficiently enough, for even Roger Federer to take notice.

Still, Roddick is approaching the age where, if he is going to be special, it is time for a breakthrough. He has won only two of 16 matches against Federer and Leyton Hewitt, and his only victory in a Grand Slam event - the U.S. Open - is two years old.

"I haven't stepped up in the big matches," Roddick admits. "I think that's a big thing. Last year here, I played a good match and got beat. Other times, I feel like I could have won and I let myself down.

"I want to win this tournament. I'm hungry to win this tournament. I felt like I've played great on grass the last couple years and haven't quite got it there. Obviously, that's the next step for me on this surface and at this tournament."

This should be his chance. In a controversial move, Wimbledon seeded him second, ahead of Hewitt. With Federer and Hewitt both in the top half of the bracket, No one ranked higher than ninth in the world stands between Roddick and the final.

Hello, Andy?

Opportunity is on the phone, bud.

Perhaps Roddick seems to sense that, too. For a guy who likes to laugh his way through his news conferences, there have been moments when Roddick has been fairly easy to peeve. When his match against Daniele Bracciali went into the dusk of the evening, Roddick swore aloud. When asked about it, he went into a lengthy, confusing exchange about whether his questioner could read a book in the dark.

Oh.

Other times, there has been a new edge as Roddick answered old questions about the plateau his career has reached over the last two years. No one likes expectations. No one likes to be shown the mountain tops they haven't reached.

"It's a tough situation to be in, to finish 2 in the world and have this and that said, people speculating what's wrong," Roddick said. "If you guys were the second-best journalists in the world, I bet you'd be pretty happy. It's a fine line, but also it's almost like a backhanded compliment. I guess that's the level that I've set. I'm not going to sit here and cry about anything in my life.

"If I didn't want pressure, I'd go somewhere and make sandwiches."

There are times you can hear the frustration, times when Roddick seems to work harder on the lines in his news conferences than his matches.

Then there are the times when Roddick talks about Wimbledon, about the fabric of the place, and it is evident the snarl is not the sound of expectations but the sound of not meeting them.

"There is no event like it," Roddick said. "If I have friends that have come over ... they walk through and they're like, this is an event. They have such a blend of old and new traditions. It's a special place.

"You can kind of feel Wimbledon inside of you. In New York, we're staying 40 minutes away in Manhattan. In Paris, you're driving in and out of streets; I never know where I am. (Here) it's different. It's kind of cozy."

An appreciative guy, Roddick. Wonder how special it would feel if he were to win it?

It is time for him to find out.

The phone is ringing.

[Last modified June 28, 2005, 01:46:16]