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Roddick happy to play the role of underdog
By Stephen Wilson, AP Sports Writer
Thursday, June 26, 2008 | No comments posted.
WIMBLEDON, England — All the talk about the men’s favorites at Wimbledon has been about Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Largely overlooked has been Andy Roddick. The two-time runner-up insists he’s happy to fly under the radar.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been the one that everybody’s talking about,” Roddick said after beating Eduardo Schwank 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (0) in the first round Tuesday. “You know what? I don’t really care.”
Roddick, who lost to Federer in the 2004 and ’05 finals, has the huge serve and forehand to challenge anyone on grass. But he has been slowed by a shoulder injury this season, missed the French Open and is seeded only No. 6 at Wimbledon this time.
Federer, meanwhile, is going for a sixth-straight title. Nadal is coming off his fourth-straight French Open championship and first grass-court title at Queen’s. The third-ranked Djokovic is the Australian Open champion.
“The big three?” Roddick said when asked if he’d ever heard the term. “They’ve played pretty well, but it goes in waves. People are going to come in and out. I think Roger and Rafa and Novak have established themselves as the best players so far. There’s no question about that.”
“Now, as far as fun nicknames, headlines and whatever, I don’t really care,” he added. “Everyone’s beatable. I’ve beaten the three of them. But if you’re asking if it (angers) me at all, I don’t really care. I just want to win tennis matches.”
That’s what Roddick did in fairly convincing style Tuesday against a gritty 22-year-old Argentine opponent making his Wimbledon debut. The American served 17 aces and never faced a break point.
“I actually hit the ball probably better than the score indicates,” Roddick said. “It seems like every game I was 30 on his serve and kind of cruising on mine. He would come up with something creative a lot of the times.”
His next opponent is burly Janko Tipsarevic, who beat Thierry Ascione 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-2. Roddick beat the Serbian player in a tight four-setter here in the first round in 2006.
“He just hits a pure ball,” Roddick said. “He’s able to attack off both sides. Doesn’t really play himself out of points. He serves pretty well for someone who is not super tall. If he’s playing well, that’s a lot to deal with.”
In today’s action, Federer was to face big-serving Swede Robin Soderling, whom he has beaten in all six previous meetings.
In women’s play, two-time winner Serena Williams was scheduled to face Urszula Radwanska on Court 2 — the so-called “graveyard of champions” for its history of upsets.
Among those advancing to the second round Tuesday — all in straight sets — were Nadal, defending women’s champion Venus Williams, 2004 winner Maria Sharapova and second-seeded Jelena Jankovic.
No. 4-seeded Nikolay Davydenko lost to Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, but it was hardly an upset. The opening-round defeat was Davydenko’s fifth at Wimbledon in seven years.
Three U.S. men reached the second round: Roddick, James Blake and Jesse Levine, who beat fellow American Donald Young. Mardy Fish of the United States lost to No. 8-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
While Sharapova made a fashion statement with a tuxedo-style outfit, Lindsay Davenport wore bandages extending from mid-thigh to mid-calf in her first match at Wimbledon since 2005.
The 1999 champion, competing in her 13th Wimbledon at age 32, hobbled with a sore right knee and overcame Renata Voracova 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Back on the women’s tour after a hiatus to have her first child, Davenport showed she still possesses the grass-court game to beat anyone.
“I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think I would do really well,” she said.
Largely overlooked has been Andy Roddick. The two-time runner-up insists he’s happy to fly under the radar.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been the one that everybody’s talking about,” Roddick said after beating Eduardo Schwank 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (0) in the first round Tuesday. “You know what? I don’t really care.”
Roddick, who lost to Federer in the 2004 and ’05 finals, has the huge serve and forehand to challenge anyone on grass. But he has been slowed by a shoulder injury this season, missed the French Open and is seeded only No. 6 at Wimbledon this time.
Federer, meanwhile, is going for a sixth-straight title. Nadal is coming off his fourth-straight French Open championship and first grass-court title at Queen’s. The third-ranked Djokovic is the Australian Open champion.
“The big three?” Roddick said when asked if he’d ever heard the term. “They’ve played pretty well, but it goes in waves. People are going to come in and out. I think Roger and Rafa and Novak have established themselves as the best players so far. There’s no question about that.”
“Now, as far as fun nicknames, headlines and whatever, I don’t really care,” he added. “Everyone’s beatable. I’ve beaten the three of them. But if you’re asking if it (angers) me at all, I don’t really care. I just want to win tennis matches.”
That’s what Roddick did in fairly convincing style Tuesday against a gritty 22-year-old Argentine opponent making his Wimbledon debut. The American served 17 aces and never faced a break point.
“I actually hit the ball probably better than the score indicates,” Roddick said. “It seems like every game I was 30 on his serve and kind of cruising on mine. He would come up with something creative a lot of the times.”
His next opponent is burly Janko Tipsarevic, who beat Thierry Ascione 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-2. Roddick beat the Serbian player in a tight four-setter here in the first round in 2006.
“He just hits a pure ball,” Roddick said. “He’s able to attack off both sides. Doesn’t really play himself out of points. He serves pretty well for someone who is not super tall. If he’s playing well, that’s a lot to deal with.”
In today’s action, Federer was to face big-serving Swede Robin Soderling, whom he has beaten in all six previous meetings.
In women’s play, two-time winner Serena Williams was scheduled to face Urszula Radwanska on Court 2 — the so-called “graveyard of champions” for its history of upsets.
Among those advancing to the second round Tuesday — all in straight sets — were Nadal, defending women’s champion Venus Williams, 2004 winner Maria Sharapova and second-seeded Jelena Jankovic.
No. 4-seeded Nikolay Davydenko lost to Benjamin Becker 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, but it was hardly an upset. The opening-round defeat was Davydenko’s fifth at Wimbledon in seven years.
Three U.S. men reached the second round: Roddick, James Blake and Jesse Levine, who beat fellow American Donald Young. Mardy Fish of the United States lost to No. 8-seeded Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.
While Sharapova made a fashion statement with a tuxedo-style outfit, Lindsay Davenport wore bandages extending from mid-thigh to mid-calf in her first match at Wimbledon since 2005.
The 1999 champion, competing in her 13th Wimbledon at age 32, hobbled with a sore right knee and overcame Renata Voracova 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Back on the women’s tour after a hiatus to have her first child, Davenport showed she still possesses the grass-court game to beat anyone.
“I wouldn’t come here if I didn’t think I would do really well,” she said.
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