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Andy Roddick
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Andrew Stephen Roddick (born August 30, 1982) is an American former professional tennis player. He was ranked as the world No. 1 in men's singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) for 13 weeks, including as the year-end No. 1 in 2003. Roddick won 32 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including a major at the 2003 US Open and five Masters events, and led the United States to the 2007 Davis Cup title. He was the runner-up at four other majors (Wimbledon in 2004, 2005, and 2009, and the US Open in 2006), losing to rival Roger Federer each time.
Key Information
Roddick was ranked in the year-end top 10 for nine consecutive years (2002–2010), first reaching the No. 1 spot in 2003. Roddick retired from the sport following the 2012 US Open to focus on his work at the Andy Roddick Foundation.[2] In retirement, Roddick played for the Austin Aces in World Team Tennis in 2015. He was also the 2015 and 2017 champion of the QQQ Champions Series.[3] Roddick was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2017. He is married to swimwear model and actress Brooklyn Decker.
Early life
[edit]Roddick was born on August 30, 1982, in Omaha, Nebraska,[4] the youngest son of Blanche (née Corell), a school teacher, and Jerry Roddick, a businessman.[5] Roddick has two older brothers, Lawrence and John, who were both promising tennis players at a young age.
Roddick lived in Austin, Texas, from ages 4 to 11, and then moved to Boca Raton, Florida, in the interest of his brother's tennis career,[6] attending SEK Boca Prep International School, and graduating in 2000.[7] Roddick also took high school classes online through the University of Nebraska High School.[8]
Career
[edit]1997–2000: Juniors
[edit]Roddick considered quitting competitive tennis at age 17 when he had a losing streak in the juniors. His coach Tarik Benhabiles talked him into giving tennis four more months of undivided attention. Roddick finished as the No. 6 junior in the U.S. in 1999, and as the No. 1 junior in the world in 2000. He won six world junior singles titles and seven world junior doubles titles, and won the US Open and Australian Open junior singles titles in 2000.[9]
2000–2002: Breakthrough
[edit]In March in Miami, in the first round, Roddick had his first ATP level victory as he beat No. 41 Fernando Vicente of Spain. In August in Washington, D.C., he beat No. 30 Fabrice Santoro of France. Roddick played the Banana Bowl in the city of São Paulo and won, beating Joachim Johansson in the final.[10] Roddick also won the Australian Junior Open, defeating Mario Ančić in the final.
Entering the pros in 2001 at the age of 18, Roddick quickly showed his promise when he defeated 7-time Wimbledon champion and world No. 4 Pete Sampras in the third round of the Miami Masters.[11] Later that year, he dispatched then World No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil in August.[12] Earlier, at the 2001 French Open, Roddick defeated a French Open champion, Michael Chang, in a five set battle in the second round. During the ensuing Wimbledon, he further showed potential by taking a set from eventual winner Goran Ivanišević.
2003: US Open title and world No. 1
[edit]Roddick's breakthrough year was 2003, in which he defeated Younes El Aynaoui in the quarterfinals of the 2003 Australian Open. Roddick and the Moroccan battled for five hours, with the fifth set (21–19 in favor of Roddick) at the time the longest fifth set in a Grand Slam tournament during the open era, at 2 hours and 23 minutes. Despite a lackluster French Open, Roddick enjoyed success in the United Kingdom by winning Queen's Club, beating No. 2 Andre Agassi on a final set tie break along the way, and reaching the Wimbledon semifinals, where he lost to eventual champion Roger Federer in straight sets. He avenged that loss in August, beating then No. 3 Federer in Montreal in a third set tie break.[13] It is one of three times that Roddick defeated Federer in an official ATP tournament.
Roddick's hard-court record in 2003 included his first Masters Series titles—coming at Canada and Cincinnati—and his only Grand Slam title. At the 2003 US Open, Roddick rallied from two sets down and a match point in the semifinals to beat David Nalbandian of Argentina in five sets. He then defeated No. 3 Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final in straight sets. At the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, he defeated No. 7 Carlos Moyá of Spain, and No. 4 Guillermo Coria of Argentina, before losing to Roger Federer in the semifinals. By the end of the year, at age 21, he was ranked No. 1, the first American to finish a year at No. 1 since Andre Agassi in 1999.
2004: First Wimbledon final
[edit]Roddick's reign at No. 1 ended the following February, when Roger Federer ascended to the top position, after winning his first Australian Open; the 2004 Australian Open would be the only time in Roddick's career that he was the No. 1 seed in a Grand Slam. In April, Roddick again beat No. 6 Moyá. In June, Roddick advanced to his first Wimbledon final after taking the first set from defending champion Federer, losing in four sets. Roddick was knocked out during the 2004 US Open in a five-set quarterfinal against another big server, Joachim Johansson. In September, he beat No. 9 Marat Safin of Russia in Bangkok. At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Roddick lost to Chilean Fernando González, the eventual bronze medal winner, in the third round. In November he beat No. 7 Tim Henman of Great Britain, No. 4 Safin, and No. 6 Guillermo Coria. Later that year, Roddick teamed up with Mardy Fish and Bob and Mike Bryan on the U.S. Davis Cup team that lost to Spain in the final in Seville. Roddick lost his singles match against Rafael Nadal, who would in the following year win the French Open. Towards the end of 2004, Roddick fired his coach of 18 months, Brad Gilbert, and hired assistant Davis Cup coach Dean Goldfine. Roddick finished 2004 ranked as the world No. 2, U.S. No. 1, and player with the most aces (2,017). In 2004, Roddick saved fellow tennis player Sjeng Schalken and other guests (including close friends Ben Campezi and Dean Monroe) from a hotel fire.[14]
2005: Second Wimbledon final
[edit]
Roddick's first 2005 tournament victory was the SAP Open in San Jose, California, where he became the first to win the event in consecutive years since Mark Philippoussis in 1999 and 2000. The top-seeded Roddick defeated Cyril Saulnier in 50 minutes, the event's first championship shutout set since Arthur Ashe beat Guillermo Vilas in 1975. In March, he defeated No. 7 Carlos Moyá. In April, Roddick won the U.S. Men's Claycourt Championships, reclaiming the title he won in 2001 and 2002. (He lost in 2003 to Agassi, and in 2004 to Tommy Haas.) At the Rome Masters in May, Roddick had match point in the round of 16 against Spain's Fernando Verdasco. Verdasco was attempting to save the match point on his second serve, when the linesman erroneously called the serve out. If this call had held, Roddick would have won the match. Roddick motioned to the umpire, pointing to the clear ball mark on the clay indicating that the ball was in, and the call was consequently changed. Verdasco went on to win the match. At the 2005 French Open, Roddick lost to unseeded Argentine José Acasuso in the second round, and at Wimbledon, Roddick lost to Federer in the final for the second consecutive year. In August, he defeated No. 3 Lleyton Hewitt at the Masters Series tournament in Cincinnati. At the US Open, Roddick was defeated by No. 70 Gilles Müller in the first round. Roddick's most recent US Open first-round loss had been in 2000. At the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon, Roddick defeated Gaël Monfils to wrap up a tournament without losing a set or getting his serve broken.
2006: US Open final
[edit]Roddick's first ATP event of the year was the Australian Open. There, he reached the fourth round, before being upset by unseeded and eventual finalist, Marcos Baghdatis. At the French Open, Roddick retired in the first round, after sustaining a foot injury during the match. Two weeks later at Wimbledon, Roddick was upset in the third round by British hopeful Andy Murray. This loss caused Roddick to fall below the top 10 for the first time since 2002. After Wimbledon, Roddick began working with a new coach, tennis legend Jimmy Connors. In his first event with his new coach, Roddick reached the final of Indianapolis, before losing to good friend and fellow American, James Blake. His resurgence finally came at the Cincinnati Masters, where he won the event by defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final, making this the first masters event he won since 2004. At the US Open, Roddick easily won his first two matches against Florent Serra and Kristian Pless. He then won a five-set match against Fernando Verdasco. Next, he beat Benjamin Becker, who was coming off a huge win against recently retired Andre Agassi. In the quarterfinals, Roddick beat Lleyton Hewitt, avenging his loss in 2001, in straight sets. Now in the semifinals for the first time since he won in 2003, Roddick beat Mikhail Youzhny in four sets. In the finals of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon a year prior, Roddick lost to No. 1 Federer in four sets. He then qualified for the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup, where he defeated No. 4 Ivan Ljubičić of Croatia, but lost in the round robin to No. 1 Federer in a tough three-set battle, despite holding three match points in the second-set tiebreaker.
2007: Davis Cup victory
[edit]At the Australian Open in his first-round match, he lost a marathon first-set tiebreak 20–18, but eventually won the match in four sets against wild card Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Roddick defeated Marat Safin in the third round, Mario Ančić in a five-set fourth-round match and Mardy Fish in the quarterfinals. His run was ended in the semifinals by No. 1 Federer, who defeated him in straight sets, making his head-to-head record against Federer 1–13. In first-round Davis Cup action, Roddick helped the US defeat the Czech Republic, winning his singles matches against Ivo Minář and Tomáš Berdych. Roddick bowed out to Andy Murray in the semifinals of the SAP Open in San Jose, California and then defeated Murray in the semifinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships and the Cellular South Cup in Memphis, Tennessee, before losing in the final to defending champion Tommy Haas. Reaching the final, however, enabled Roddick to overtake Nikolay Davydenko for the No. 3 position, his first week inside the top three since March 6, 2006. At Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California Roddick beat No. 8 Ivan Ljubičić, but lost to No. 2 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals.
Roddick then retired in the quarters of Miami Masters against Andy Murray due to a left hamstring injury. Roddick helped the U.S. defeat Spain and advance to the Davis Cup semifinals, winning his lone singles match against Fernando Verdasco. However, Roddick re-aggravated his hamstring injury during the Davis Cup tie, and was subsequently forced to pull out of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston, Texas. His next tournament was the Internazionali d'Italia, where lost to Juan Ignacio Chela in the third round. At the French Open he was eliminated in the first round by Igor Andreev in four sets. Roddick was victorious at the Stella Artois Championships for the fourth time, when he defeated Nicolas Mahut in the final. At Wimbledon, Roddick lost in five close sets to Richard Gasquet in the quarter finals.

During the summer hard-court season, Roddick played four tournaments in four weeks. Roddick lost in the semifinals of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships to Frank Dancevic. Roddick claimed his second ATP title of the year by winning the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C. for the third time, when he beat John Isner.[15] He then lost in the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup in Montreal to Novak Djokovic, and in the third round of the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters tournament in Cincinnati to David Ferrer. At the US Open, Roddick defeated Gimelstob in the first round. He won his next three matches, one in straight sets and the other two when his opponent retired. In the quarterfinals, Roddick once again lost to Federer, bringing his head-to-head record with Federer 1–14.
At Lyon, France, Roddick lost in the first round to Fabrice Santoro. Roddick then withdrew from the Paris Masters, incurring a $22,600 fine for not fulfilling his media obligations at the tournament.[16] At the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, Roddick defeated No. 4 Nikolay Davydenko in his first round-robin match, and then defeated No. 7 Fernando González to become the first player to qualify for the semifinals of the tournament. In his final round-robin match, Roddick lost once again to Federer for the 15th time in 16 career matches. In the semifinals, Roddick lost to sixth seed David Ferrer. This was Roddick's third semifinal finish in five years at the Tennis Masters Cup (he reached the semifinals in 2003 and 2004, withdrew in 2005, and failed to advance to the semifinals in 2006 after a 1–2 round-robin record). Roddick finished the year by helping the U.S. defeat Russia and win the 2007 Davis Cup, its 32nd Davis Cup victory, but first since 1995. Roddick won his rubber against Dmitry Tursunov.
2008: Series of injuries
[edit]Roddick beat Ivan Ljubičić, Safin and Marcos Baghdatis to win the AAMI Kooyong Classic for the third consecutive year. Roddick At the Australian Open he beat Lukáš Dlouhý and Michael Berrer and lost to the 29th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round in five sets. Despite losing, Roddick served a career-high of 42 aces in the match. Roddick won his 24th career title and his third title of the year at the SAP Open in San Jose, California, defeating Radek Štěpánek in straight sets. At the Dubai Tennis Championships he made it to the semifinals beating No. 2 Rafael Nadal, his first victory over Nadal since the second round of the 2004 US Open. The win also marked Roddick's first victory over a player ranked in the top two since June 2003. He beat No. 3 and 2008 Australian Open singles champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinal. In the final he defeated Feliciano López to win his 25th career title. He never lost his serve during the entire tournament.
Following Roddick's quarterfinal match in Dubai, he announced that he had split with his coach of two years, Jimmy Connors. Connors had resigned a week earlier, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.[17] Roddick would continue to be coached by his brother, John Roddick. He then fell to No. 2 Tommy Haas at the Pacific Life Open in the second round. At the 2008 Sony Ericsson Open, Roddick advanced to the semifinals after defeating No. 1 Roger Federer an hour after proposing to Brooklyn Decker, bringing his head-to-head record against Federer to 2–15. Roddick improved to 3–0 against top-3 players in 2008. Roddick lost in the semifinals to Nikolay Davydenko. Roddick reached the semifinals at Rome, where he retired against Stanislas Wawrinka in the pair's first encounter, due to a back injury.
Roddick was forced to pull out of the French Open due to a shoulder injury (later diagnosed as an inflammation of the rotator cuff). His first tournament after the shoulder injury was the Artois Championship, where he was the defending champion. Roddick defeated Mardy Fish and Andy Murray, before losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. At Wimbledon, Roddick was beaten by Janko Tipsarević in the second round. This was his earliest exit at Wimbledon. Roddick was beaten at the Rogers Cup in the third round by Marin Čilić. He was then forced to pull out of the Cincinnati Masters following a neck injury, which he said may have been caused by a poor sleeping posture. At Los Angeles, Roddick lost to Juan Martín del Potro in the final. At the US Open, Roddick defeated Fabrice Santoro, Ernests Gulbis, Andreas Seppi, and Fernando González. In the quarterfinals, Roddick lost to No. 3 Novak Djokovic, bringing his head-to-head record with Djokovic to 1–2.

Roddick captured his 26th ATP title in Beijing at the China Open in September, beating Dudi Sela in the final. In the third round of the Madrid Masters, he lost to Gaël Monfils in three sets. Two weeks later, Roddick reached the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters by defeating Gilles Simon, before losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Due to his performance in the tournament, Roddick qualified for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup. At the Masters Cup in Shanghai, he played Andy Murray in his first round-robin match and lost. He was then scheduled to play Roger Federer, but retired due to an ankle injury and was replaced by Radek Štěpánek.
2009: Longest Wimbledon final
[edit]Roddick hired Larry Stefanki as his new coach and started working with him on December 1, 2008. Stefanki had previously trained John McEnroe, Marcelo Ríos, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Fernando González, and Tim Henman. Roddick began official tournament competition at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. He defeated Gaël Monfils in the semifinals, before losing to Andy Murray in the final. At the 2009 Australian Open, Djokovic retired in the fourth set in the quarters while trailing, which allowed Roddick to reach the fourth Australian Open semifinal of his career. Roddick was defeated there by eventual runner-up Roger Federer in straight sets.

At SAP Open, he beat Tommy Haas in the quarterfinals and lost in semifinals to Radek Štěpánek. At the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, Roddick beat Lleyton Hewitt in the semifinals and Štěpánek in the final. Roddick chose not to defend his Dubai title, with prize money of $2 million, to protest the refusal of the United Arab Emirates to grant Israeli Shahar Pe'er a visa for the Women's Tennis Association event.[18][19] "I really didn't agree with what went on over there", Roddick said.[18][19] At BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells he defeated defending champion Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals before losing to world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. However, he won the doubles title with partner Mardy Fish. It was his fourth doubles title overall and his second partnering Fish. At the Miami Masters, Roddick beat Gaël Monfils in the fourth round but lost to Roger Federer in the quarterfinals.
After a break from tournament tennis to get married, Roddick returned to action at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 clay-court event in Madrid. In his first match, Roddick survived two match points in the second-set tiebreaker to defeat Tommy Haas. In the quarterfinals, Roddick again lost to Federer. Roddick had his career-best result at the French Open, when he defeated Marc Gicquel in the third round. He lost in the fourth round to Monfils.
A twisted ankle forced Roddick to retire from his semifinal against James Blake at 4–4 during the Aegon Championships. At Wimbledon, Roddick defeated Lleyton Hewitt in the quarterfinals, serving a career-high of 43 aces, and third-seeded Andy Murray in the semifinals.[20] He then lost to Federer for the third time in a Wimbledon final with a fifth set reaching 14–16, and he was praised for his performance.[21] Even though Roddick lost this match, he set a record for number of games won in a Wimbledon final at 39. This was his fourth meeting with Federer in a Grand Slam final, all won by Federer. The match set records for the longest men's Grand Slam final in history at 77 games and fifth set in a men's Grand Slam final.[22] Following the match, when asked to elaborate on his marathon performance, Roddick replied, "I lost."[23] On the strength of his Wimbledon performance, Roddick returned to the top five on July 13, 2009.

At the Legg Mason Tennis Classic he lost in the final to defending champion Juan Martín del Potro, despite saving three match points. At Rogers Cup, he defeated No. 4 Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals, improving his career record against Djokovic to 4–2 (3–0 in 2009). He then lost to Juan Martín del Potro in the semifinals, despite having a match point. The loss dropped his career record against del Potro to 0–3. At Cincinnati, he lost to Sam Querrey in his first match. Roddick entered the US Open as the fifth seed. He defeated Björn Phau and Marc Gicquel before losing to John Isner in the third round. He lost his serve only once during the match, as was the case in the Wimbledon final.
At China Open in Beijing, he was defeated in the first round by qualifier and No. 143 Łukasz Kubot. He and Mark Knowles reached the doubles final, losing to Bob and Mike Bryan. Roddick retired from his first-round match at the 2009 Shanghai Masters against Stanislas Wawrinka while leading 4–3. It was later announced that Roddick would return to the United States to seek medical advice on a left-knee injury.[24] He qualified for the Year-End Masters in London, securing the sixth spot. However, Roddick withdrew from the 2009 Valencia Open 500, the 2009 BNP Paribas Masters, and the 2009 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals due to the injury he suffered at the Shanghai Masters. He finished 2009 as the No. 7 in the world.
2010: Fifth Masters title
[edit]
At the Brisbane Roddick beat Radek Štěpánek for his first ATP Tour title since February 2009, and making 2010 his tenth consecutive season with at least one ATP singles title. Roddick teamed with James Blake in the men's doubles and lost in the semis to Jérémy Chardy and Marc Gicquel. At the Australian Open he lost in the quarterfinals to Marin Čilić, despite coming back from two sets down while battling an apparent shoulder injury.[25]
In SAP Open, he beat Sam Querrey in the semifinals before losing the final to Fernando Verdasco. At Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, he lost in the quarterfinals in a rematch of the San Jose semifinals to Sam Querrey. At Indian Wells Roddick beat Robin Söderling, before losing to Ivan Ljubičić in the final. This was Roddick's first Masters Series final since the 2006 Cincinnati Masters. In the Sony Ericsson Open, Roddick defeated Igor Andreev, Sergiy Stakhovsky, Benjamin Becker, Nicolás Almagro and Rafael Nadal to reach his fourth final of the year. In the final, Roddick won his second Sony Ericsson Open title, after defeating Tomáš Berdych in straight sets. This was Roddick's 29th title in 49 finals, fifth ATP Masters 1000 title, and first Masters 1000 title since 2006.
Roddick did not fare well during the clay-court season, withdrawing from Rome due for personal reasons and from Madrid due to a stomach virus. He then lost in the third round of the French Open to Teymuraz Gabashvili in straight sets. Roddick suffered his earliest ever exit in the 2010 Aegon Championships, a grass-court Wimbledon tune-up event. He was beaten by Dudi Sela in the third round. At Wimbledon, Roddick was seeded fifth, two spots higher than his ATP ranking of seven. He was defeated in the fourth round by No. 82 Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan in five sets. Like his final match with Roger Federer the previous year, his serve was broken only once during the match, in the fifth set.

At Atlanta, he was eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champion Mardy Fish. At Legg Mason Tennis Classic, he lost in the round of 16 to Gilles Simon. He dropped out of the top 10 and for the first time since the inception of the ATP world rankings, there was no American man in the top 10. On August 14, 2010, Roddick revealed that he had been diagnosed with mononucleosis, although he said his doctor believed it was in its later stages and he would make a complete recovery soon.[26] At the Cincinnati Masters, he beat No. 5 Robin Söderling to reach the quarterfinals, where he defeated second seed Novak Djokovic. The win was Roddick's fourth consecutive over Djokovic, raising his career head-to-head record against Djokovic to 5–2 and ensuring Roddick's return to the top 10. In the semifinals, Roddick lost to Mardy Fish, failing to serve out the match at 5–3 in the second set. In the second round of the US Open, Roddick was beaten by Janko Tipsarević in four sets.
At the Japan Open, Roddick lost in the semifinals to Gaël Monfils. At Shanghai Masters, Roddick beat Philipp Kohlschreiber after Kohlschreiber retired in the second set and then Roddick himself retired in the second set against Guillermo García-López, after suffering a groin injury. At the Basel, he beat Sam Querrey, Andrey Golubev, and David Nalbandian, before losing to Roger Federer in straight sets.
At the BNP Paribas Masters, Roddick beat Jarkko Nieminen and Ernests Gulbis before losing to Robin Söderling in the quarterfinals. With Fernando Verdasco failing to reach the final, Roddick automatically qualified for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals for the eighth consecutive year. Though he had dropped out of the top 10 in the ATP rankings after his early exit from the US Open, his victory over Gulbis in Paris assured his return to the top 10 at year end, making him and Federer the only players to maintain year-end top-10 ATP rankings from 2002 through 2010. Roddick played his final tournament of the year at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Roddick lost all his round-robin matches to Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Tomáš Berdych. Roddick ended the year No. 8, his ninth consecutive season finishing in the top 10.
2011: Drop out of top 10
[edit]At Brisbane, Roddick was defeated by Robin Söderling in the final. At the Australian Open, Roddick lost to Stanislas Wawrinka in round four in straight sets. He then won the 2011 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships, defeating Ričardas Berankis, Janko Tipsarević, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Martín del Potro and Milos Raonic. Roddick began his Davis Cup campaign for the United States against Chile. He beat Nicolás Massú in four sets and beat Paul Capdeville in four sets to clinch the victory for the U.S. Roddick improved his record to 12–0 in Davis Cup clinchers.
At the BNP Paribas Open, he was beaten by Richard Gasquet in the fourth round. In the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open, as the defending champion, Roddick was upset by Pablo Cuevas in the second round. This loss dropped Roddick to No. 12 in the rankings and the second-ranked American behind compatriot Mardy Fish. Roddick then began his clay-court season at the Mutua Madrid Open, but he was upset in the first round by qualifier Flavio Cipolla in three sets. At Internazionali BNL d'Italia he lost in the first round for the second straight tournament to Gilles Simon. He teamed with Mardy Fish to play doubles in Rome, and they went to the final before Roddick had to withdraw because of a shoulder injury. Roddick also withdrew from the Nice Open in France and pulled out of the 2011 French Open, after failing to recover.

At the Aegon Championships, Roddick lost to Andy Murray in the semi finals, their first meeting since the Wimbledon 2009 semifinals. Roddick was seeded eighth for Wimbledon, and lost in the third round in straight sets to Feliciano López. Roddick had failed to reach the quarterfinals of any Grand Slam since the 2010 Australian open. This was the longest Roddick had ever gone in his career without reaching the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. In the Davis Cup quarterfinals match against Spain, Roddick drew David Ferrer first, but lost in three tight sets (Spain won the tie).
Roddick withdrew from the Legg Masson Tennis Classic, and Rogers Cup, after partially tearing his oblique muscle while practicing. At the Western & Southern Open, he lost in the first round to Philipp Kohlschreiber. This loss made him drop out of the top 20 for the first time since August 2001. After suffering an early exit at Cincinnati, Roddick played at the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina, where he lost in the semifinals to John Isner. Roddick was seeded 21st at the U.S. Open. He beat Michael Russell, Jack Sock, Julien Benneteau and David Ferrer to advance to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal since the 2010 Australian Open, where he lost to No. 2 Rafael Nadal.
At the China Open, he lost to Kevin Anderson. At Shanghai Rolex Masters, he lost to David Ferrer in the quarterfinals. After this, he played at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where he lost to Roger Federer in the quarterfinals. At Paris, he had a third-round loss to Andy Murray. This loss ended Roddick's 2011 season, which left him out of the top 10, after being there for nine consecutive years.
2012: Retirement
[edit]At the Australian Open, Roddick beat Robin Haase in straight sets, but he retired against Lleyton Hewitt while trailing, due to a hamstring injury. At San Jose he beat Denis Kudla in the round of 16, but lost in the quarterfinals to Denis Istomin. At Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, his title defense was short-lived, as he lost his first-round match to Xavier Malisse. At Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, he defeated Philipp Petzschner and Istomin in the first and second rounds, respectively, before falling to Kevin Anderson.

In March, at Indian Wells, Roddick beat Łukasz Kubot in the second round, but then lost in the next round to Tomáš Berdych. Later in the month, at Sony Ericsson Open, Roddick faced No. 3 Federer, this being the first time they played each other before the quarterfinals of any tournament. Roddick defeated Federer for only the third time in his career to reach the fourth round, but then lost to Juan Mónaco. Roddick then elected not to play in the final three clay-court Masters events leading up to the French Open. At French Open, he fell to Nicolas Mahut in the first round in four sets. After this, Roddick played at Aegon Championships, where he lost in the second round to Édouard Roger-Vasselin, despite having a match point in the third set.
At the Aegon International, he received a wild card into the main draw as the sixth seed. He beat Sam Querrey, Jérémy Chardy, Fabio Fognini, Steve Darcis and defending champion Andreas Seppi in the final for his 31st career title and first of 2012.[27] He thus became the only male tennis player besides Roger Federer to have won at least one title every year in the past 12 years. At Wimbledon he beat Jamie Baker and Björn Phau, but lost to David Ferrer in the third round in four sets.
At the BB&T Atlanta Open he beat Nicolas Mahut, Michael Russell in the quarterfinals, John Isner in the semifinals and Gilles Müller in the final.[28] Roddick's London Olympics campaign began with a victory over Martin Kližan. In the second round, Roddick lost to No. 2 Novak Djokovic.[29] After the Olympics, Roddick decided not to play in Toronto and went straight to Cincinnati, where he lost in the first round to Frenchman Jérémy Chardy.
In the US Open, Roddick began his campaign with a victory over his countryman Rhyne Williams. On August 30, 2012, which was his thirtieth birthday, Roddick announced that he would retire after the tournament.[30] After announcing his retirement, Roddick defeated Bernard Tomic and Fabio Fognini before his final match on September 5, 2012, where he lost to Juan Martín del Potro in four sets in the fourth round. Four days after his loss, Roddick was honored in a special ceremony in Arthur Ashe Stadium on his retirement, in which Andre Agassi participated. Due to his retirement, he ended the year at No. 39, the lowest he had been since 2000, the year he turned professional, when he only played five events.
2015
[edit]Roddick played one tournament on tour, the 2015 BB&T Atlanta Open, where he competed in the men's doubles event with Mardy Fish. They lost in the quarterfinals.[31]
2017: Hall of Fame induction
[edit]Roddick was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 22, 2017, alongside Kim Clijsters of Belgium.[32]
Nicknames and on-court behavior
[edit]
Roddick is often called "A-Rod", a play on the nickname of New York Yankees baseball star Alex Rodriguez, referring to his first initial and the first syllable of his last name.[33]
Roddick made frequent outbursts against umpires and linesmen on the court.[34] At the 2001 US Open, Roddick angrily disputed a ball that landed wide at a crucial point in the fifth set of his quarter-final match against Lleyton Hewitt (he was serving at *4–5), calling umpire Jorge Dias "a moron" and copping a code violation for audible obscenity.[35] During his third-round match at the Australian Open in 2008, he abused umpire Emmanuel Joseph saying, "You're an idiot! Stay in school, kids or you'll end up being an umpire."[36]
Roddick lost his temper again at the 2010 Australian Open after a ball that he did not play was called out on match point, but ruled to be in after a video review. He continued arguing with the umpire after the conclusion of the match but later said that he was wrong.[37] Later again that year, he launched into a tirade at an official over a foot-fault call at the 2010 US Open, a match he eventually lost to Serbia's Janko Tipsarević.[38] In 2011, Roddick snapped at the chair umpire at Indian Wells on his way to lose to France's Richard Gasquet.[39]
In a second-round match against Philipp Kohlschreiber at the 2011 Cincinnati Masters, Roddick was given a penalty point, which resulted in a critical break of serve in favor of his opponent. The penalty point was given due to ball-abuse, when Roddick smashed a ball into the stands in frustration after he had already been warned earlier in the match by umpire Carlos Bernardes for an episode of racquet abuse. This triggered another series of altercations with the umpire, with Roddick expressing his displeasure at the umpire's call. Roddick lost the match.[40]
Endorsements
[edit]From 2000 to 2005, Roddick wore Reebok apparel.[41][42] After Reebok announced it would not renew its contract with Roddick, Roddick signed a five-year, $25 million endorsement deal with Lacoste in April 2005. In November, he signed an agreement to endorse Lacoste eyewear for four years worth between $750,000 and $1 million.[43] In 2011, Lacoste introduced the Andy Roddick collection which included polos, jackets, tennis shorts and track pants.[44] In June 2013, Roddick became an investor and brand ambassador to TravisMathew Apparel.[45]
In 2005, Roddick signed a multiyear worldwide endorsement deal with carmaker Lexus.[46] His other endorsement deals include American Express,[47] Rolex, Powerade in 2002,[48] Parlux Fragrances,[49] Arizona Beverage Company in 2009,[50] Microsoft Xbox and Sega.[51]
Playing style
[edit]
Roddick's serve was known for its power, usually travelling at 130–150 mph (209~242 km/h) and often unreturnable.[52] He once held the record for fastest serve at 155 mph (249 km/h). Roddick's favorite shot is his off-forehand, which he used in combination with his kicker out wide. Roddick used to play his off-forehand frequently but later adjusted and used it to create points. He usually targeted the two corners to win aces. As for his second serve, he usually employed a heavy kick serve, then used a variety of spins, slices, and angles in the rally to throw off his opponent. He was noted for using heavy topspin on both his serves and his twist serve was particularly high kicking.[53]
Roddick also occasionally used the serve-and-volley tactic on both first and second services to surprise his opponent, though he generally remained near the baseline after a serve. He later developed a more all-court playing style compared to the aggressive baseline style he played with for most of his early career. Although Roddick's backhand was a weakness throughout his career, it improved somewhat in 2009 under Stefanki's guidance.[54]
Media appearances
[edit]On April 5, 2002, Roddick guest-starred on the television show Sabrina the Teenage Witch as himself. In the episode, Sabrina summoned him so he could give her tennis lessons.[55]
Roddick appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn in 2002 and 2003, Late Show with David Letterman in 2003 and 2009, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and Live with Regis and Kelly in 2003, Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2004 and 2005, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2005 and 2007, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2006. Roddick also appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in 2007 and 2010.
Roddick hosted Saturday Night Live on November 8, 2003, becoming the second professional tennis player to host (Chris Evert being the first during the show's 15th season) and the first (and, as of September 2023, only) male tennis player to host.[56]
Pre-Wimbledon, Roddick appeared on an episode of the British version of The Weakest Link, which was broadcast on 18 June 2004.[57][58]
Roddick was in an advertisement for This is SportsCenter, with Stuart Scott, in which he confronts the Sports Center anchor about the anchors not calling him "A-Rod", and asks him "Did Alex Rodriguez put you up to this?" Scott replies "Who?" Roddick says "A-Rod!" Scott gets a sneaky look on his face, and Roddick leaves disgusted.[59][failed verification]
The June/July issue of Men's Fitness magazine carried an article on Roddick. The cover shot featured the tennis ace in a T-shirt, straining to contain massive, pumped-up biceps and hulking shoulder and chest muscles. The image set off widespread online speculation that the magazine had altered Roddick's likeness, a suspicion echoed by Roddick himself. Roddick has quipped that he saw the photo, and that "Nadal wanted his arms back."[60]
In March 2009, Roddick appeared in the "Speed Feels Better" music video for singer-songwriter Michael Tolcher. Other athletes in the video included Amanda Beard, Barry Sanders, Kimmie Meissner, and Rick Ankiel.
Roddick played tennis using a frying pan instead of a racquet for the book Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan by Todd Gallagher.[61]
In 2011, Roddick made a cameo at the end of the film Just Go With It, as the new lover of the film's jilted bride, played by Decker.[62]
In 2011 Roddick co-hosted a radio show for one day on Fox Sports Radio with his friend Bobby Bones on the latter's eponymous program.[63] Due to the success of that one-time show, Fox Sports Radio offered Roddick and Bones a nationally syndicated sports radio show. The show debuted on January 7, 2012, and could be heard nationally on Saturdays from 12 to 3 PM CST. It was a mix of sports, pop culture and entertainment.[64][65] On February 16, 2012, Roddick interviewed his wife, Brooklyn, on the radio show and during that interview he first revealed his plans on retiring and turning the radio show into a daily show and into his new career.[66]
At the 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Roddick played his first professional golf tournament (as an amateur) where he teamed up with professional golfer, John Mallinger.[67] Although Roddick's team missed the cut to get the final round, he and Mallinger ended with a combined score of 16 under par (with Roddick individually hitting at a 6 handicap).
In 2013, Roddick was hired by Fox Sports 1 as co-host for the network's flagship program Fox Sports Live.[68]
In 2015, Roddick joined the BBC as pundit and commentator for the 2015 Wimbledon Championships.[69]
In 2017, Roddick's wife revealed that he discarded most of his tennis trophies except the US Open trophy.[70]
In 2019, Roddick appeared on Celebrity Family Feud with his wife and the rest of the Decker family, competing against Bobby Bones and his family.[71]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Roddick tweeted Tennis Channel requesting a "job." This led him to become a temporary contributor to the channel.[72]
On April 2, 2023, Roddick participated with Michael Chang, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe in the first live airing of Pickleball on ESPN in the Million dollar Pickleball Slam at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Fla.[73]
In 2024, Roddick began a weekly podcast series for Tennis Channel named "Served with Andy Roddick".[74]
Personal life
[edit]From 2003 to 2004, Roddick dated actress and singer Mandy Moore.[75]
It was while Roddick was watching a show on the CNN/Sports Illustrated website called She Says Z Says that he first noticed Brooklyn Decker,[76] to whom he is now married. According to Decker in an interview with David Letterman, Roddick had his agent contact her agent to arrange an initial meeting.[77] The two began dating in 2007, and on March 31, 2008, Roddick announced on his website that they had become engaged. The couple were married on April 17, 2009, in Austin, Texas.[78] Decker gave birth to the couple's first child on September 30, 2015.[79] She gave birth to their second child, a daughter, on November 27, 2017.[80]
Awards and records
[edit]In 2004, Roddick produced what was then the fastest serve in professional tennis: 249.4 km/h (155.0 mph) during a Davis Cup semifinal match with Vladimir Voltchkov on hard court in Charleston, South Carolina. Roddick's record serve has since been superseded by Ivo Karlović, who served at 251 km/h (156 mph) playing at the Davis Cup in March 2011.[81] Roddick also had the fastest serve in U.S. Open history: 244 km/h (152 mph) against American Scoville Jenkins, and against future No. 1 Rafael Nadal.[82] Roddick also won the 2004 ESPY Award for Best Male Tennis Player.
That same year he won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award of the Year because of his charity efforts, which included: raising money for the survivors of the tsunami following 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake through Serving for Tsunami Relief and other efforts; auctioning off several rackets and autographs to raise money for UNICEF; and creating the Andy Roddick Foundation to help at-risk youth.
In 2007, Roddick and the Andy Roddick Foundation were awarded by the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. Roddick was the first male tennis player ever to receive the award.
Serve records since 1991:
- Fastest serve in Australian Open: 148 mph.
- Fastest serve in Dubai: 150 mph.
- Fastest average in first serve: 134 mph.
- Fastest serve in Beijing: 148 mph.
- Fastest serve in San Jose: 150 mph.
- Fastest serve in Madrid: 151 mph.
- Fastest serve in Washington: 151 mph.
- Fastest serve in Queens: 153 mph.
- Fastest serve in Lyon: 142 mph.
- Fastest serve in US Open: 152 mph.
- Fastest serve at Roland Garros: 144 mph (2006–2010).
- Fastest serve at Queens: 151 mph.
- Fastest serve at Wimbledon: 143 mph (2011).
- Fastest serve on record (Davis Cup): 155 mph (2004–2011).
Career statistics
[edit]Grand Slam tournaments
[edit]Performance timeline
[edit]| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | SR | W–L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open | A | A | 2R | SF | QF | SF | 4R | SF | 3R | SF | QF | 4R | 2R | 0 / 11 | 38–11 |
| French Open | A | 3R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | 4R | 3R | A | 1R | 0 / 10 | 9–10 |
| Wimbledon | A | 3R | 3R | SF | F | F | 3R | QF | 2R | F | 4R | 3R | 3R | 0 / 12 | 41–12 |
| US Open | 1R | QF | QF | W | QF | 1R | F | QF | QF | 3R | 2R | QF | 4R | 1 / 13 | 43–12 |
| Win–loss | 0–1 | 8–3 | 7–4 | 17–3 | 15–4 | 12–4 | 11–4 | 13–4 | 7–3 | 16–4 | 10–4 | 9–3 | 6–4 | 1 / 46 | 131–45 |
Finals: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups)
[edit]| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 2003 | US Open | Hard | 6–3, 7–6(7–2), 6–3 | |
| Loss | 2004 | Wimbledon | Grass | 6–4, 5–7, 6–7(3–7), 4–6 | |
| Loss | 2005 | Wimbledon | Grass | 2–6, 6–7(2–7), 4–6 | |
| Loss | 2006 | US Open | Hard | 2–6, 6–4, 5–7, 1–6 | |
| Loss | 2009 | Wimbledon | Grass | 7–5, 6–7(6–8), 6–7(5–7), 6–3, 14–16 |
Masters Series
[edit]Finals: 9 (5 titles, 4 runner-ups)
[edit]| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2002 | Toronto, Canada | Hard | 4–6, 5–7 | |
| Win | 2003 | Montreal, Canada | Hard | 6–1, 6–3 | |
| Win | 2003 | Cincinnati, US | Hard | 4–6, 7–6(7–3), 7–6(7–4) | |
| Win | 2004 | Miami, US | Hard | 6–7(2–7), 6–3, 6–1, ret. | |
| Loss | 2004 | Toronto, Canada | Hard | 5–7, 3–6 | |
| Loss | 2005 | Cincinnati, US | Hard | 3–6, 5–7 | |
| Win | 2006 | Cincinnati, US (2) | Hard | 6–3, 6–4 | |
| Loss | 2010 | Indian Wells, US | Hard | 6–7(3–7), 6–7(5–7) | |
| Win | 2010 | Miami, US (2) | Hard | 7–5, 6–4 |
Records
[edit]- These records were attained in the Open Era of tennis.
| Championship | Years | Record accomplished | Player tied |
| Wimbledon | 2009 | 39 games won in a Grand Slam final[83] | Stands alone |
| ATP World Tour | 2007 | 18 consecutive tiebreaks won[84] | Stands alone |
| US Open | 2004 | Fastest serve in a Grand Slam tournament since 1991 (152 mph)[85] | Stands alone |
Filmography
[edit]In 2011, Roddick made a cameo appearance in the Adam Sandler comedy film Just Go with It with his real-life wife Brooklyn Decker.[86]
See also
[edit]- World TeamTennis, played for the Philadelphia Freedoms in 2010.
- Federer–Roddick rivalry
References
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[H]e holds the record of most games won in a Grand Slam final at 39.
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2007 — Led ATP circuit with...an Open Era record 18 straight won from February (Memphis) through early July (Wimbledon).
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Further reading
[edit]- Beth Donelson; Tom Donelson (2004). Coming Of Age: Andy Roddick's Breakthrough Year. New York: iUniverse. ISBN 0-595-30785-X.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Andy Roddick at the Association of Tennis Professionals
- Andy Roddick at the International Tennis Federation
- Andy Roddick at the Davis Cup (archived)
- Andy Roddick Foundation
- Andy's U.S. Olympic Team bio ... with links to photo gallery
- In losing a match, Roddick became a true sportsman, a May 2005 article written by Frank Deford
- Roddick reverses form on the lawns
- Andy Roddick at IMDb
- Tennis Academy – Roddick Total Tennis Academy
Andy Roddick
View on GrokipediaAndrew Stephen Roddick (born August 30, 1982) is an American former professional tennis player who attained the ATP world No. 1 singles ranking and secured one Grand Slam singles title.[1][2]
Roddick turned professional in 2000 and rose rapidly, capturing his sole major championship at the 2003 US Open by defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final.[2][3]
Throughout his career, he amassed 32 ATP singles titles, including five Masters 1000 events, and reached four additional Grand Slam finals—all lost to Roger Federer—including three at Wimbledon (2004, 2005, 2009) and one at the US Open (2006).[2][4]
Renowned for his powerful serve, which once clocked 155 mph during the 2004 Davis Cup and set a Grand Slam record of 152 mph, Roddick held the No. 1 ranking for 13 weeks starting November 3, 2003, and led the United States to the 2007 Davis Cup title.[2][1]
He retired abruptly after a second-round loss at the 2012 US Open, concluding a career with a 612–213 singles win-loss record and over $20 million in prize money, remaining the last American man to win a major singles title as of 2025.[2][5][6]
Early Life and Background
Family and Upbringing
Andrew Stephen Roddick was born on August 30, 1982, in Omaha, Nebraska, to parents Jerry and Blanche Roddick.[7] Jerry Roddick owned multiple Jani-King commercial cleaning franchises, while Blanche Roddick worked as a public school teacher.[8] The family, including Andy's two older brothers John (born 1976) and Lawrence (also known as Larry), relocated to Austin, Texas, when Andy was four years old, where the brothers had previously begun playing tennis competitively.[7][2] Both brothers pursued tennis at the collegiate level—John as an All-American player at the University of Georgia and Lawrence at the University of Texas—exerting significant influence on Andy's early interest in the sport.[2][8] Andy began playing tennis around 1986, initially tagging along with his siblings to local courts in Austin, which shaped his foundational skills amid a supportive family environment emphasizing athletic development.[7] The family's 1993 move to Boca Raton, Florida, prioritized advancing the brothers' tennis opportunities, though Andy's primary upbringing occurred in Austin, fostering his lifelong affinity for the city and University of Nebraska sports despite his Nebraska roots.[8][2]Introduction to Tennis and Early Training
Andy Roddick was introduced to tennis by his mother, Blanche Roddick, who taught the sport at a local recreation center, beginning when he was three years old after the family relocated from Omaha, Nebraska, to Austin, Texas, in 1984 to allow her to teach full-time.[7] His two older brothers, John and Drew, also played tennis competitively, fostering a family environment centered on the sport.[7] In Austin, Roddick participated in group lessons and entered local amateur tournaments starting at age eight, despite being undersized for his age, which highlighted his innate talent and competitive intensity from an early stage.[7] By 1993, at age 11, the family moved to Boca Raton, Florida, primarily to support John's professional aspirations, enabling both brothers to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where Roddick refined his skills under Bollettieri's structured program emphasizing aggressive baseline play and serve development.[7] This relocation marked a pivotal shift to more intensive, high-level training, accelerating his technical growth and exposure to elite competition.[9]Junior and Early Professional Career
Junior Achievements
Roddick achieved significant success in junior tennis during the late 1990s, winning the Eddie Herr International Junior Championships and the Orange Bowl in 1999.[7] These victories marked his emergence as a top prospect on the international junior circuit.[7] In 2000, Roddick captured the Australian Open boys' singles title, defeating Mario Ančić 7–6(2), 6–3 in the final.[10] Later that year, he won the US Open boys' singles championship, overcoming compatriot Robby Ginepri 6–1, 6–3.[11] These Grand Slam triumphs propelled him to the world No. 1 ITF junior ranking on March 6, 2000, making him the first American to hold the top spot since Brian Dunn in 1992; he ended the year at No. 1.[12][13]ATP Breakthrough (2000–2002)
Roddick turned professional in 2000 at age 17, compiling a 10–12 win-loss record on the ATP Tour and Challenger circuit that year.[2] His debut ATP-level victory came in March 2001 at the Miami Masters, where he defeated world No. 41 Fernando Vicente in the first round before advancing to the quarterfinals.[14] On April 29, 2001, in his 10th career ATP tournament, Roddick claimed his first ATP singles title at the Atlanta Tennis Championship on clay, routing Xavier Malisse 6–2, 6–4 in the final to become the first American teenager to win an ATP event since 1992.[15][16] The following week, Roddick defended his status as an emerging force by winning the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston, defeating Andy Van Den Berghe in the final and marking the first instance in the Open Era of a player securing his initial two titles on clay.[17] Later that summer, he added the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C., on hard courts, becoming the first American teenager since Michael Chang in 1988 to claim three or more ATP titles in a single season.[3] These victories propelled Roddick into the ATP top 20 by mid-year; he reached the US Open quarterfinals, losing to Pete Sampras, and concluded 2001 ranked No. 14, a 144-spot improvement from the prior year's end position of No. 158.[1][18] In 2002, Roddick continued his ascent, defending the Houston title in April with a 7–6(9), 6–3 victory over Pete Sampras in the final, denying the seven-time Grand Slam champion a return to form on clay.[17] He captured four additional ATP titles that year, including the Båstad Open in Sweden, while reaching deep runs in other events such as the US Open fourth round.[19] These results elevated him into the top 10 for the first time in April and secured a year-end ranking of No. 10, initiating a streak of nine consecutive top-10 finishes.[18] Roddick's rapid progress during this period highlighted his powerful serve and aggressive baseline game, though he faced challenges against top-ranked veterans like Sampras and Lleyton Hewitt.[20]Peak Professional Career
US Open Title and World No. 1 (2003)
Roddick arrived at the 2003 US Open seeded third and in peak condition, having secured consecutive ATP Masters 1000 victories at the National Bank Open in Montreal (defeating Carlos Moyá 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(5) in the final on August 10) and the Cincinnati Masters (overcoming Roger Federer 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 in the final on August 17), marking the first such hard-court sweep since Ivan Lendl in 1989.[21] These triumphs elevated his confidence and ranking momentum entering Flushing Meadows.[21] In the tournament, Roddick navigated a challenging draw, including straight-sets wins over qualifier Raemon Sluiter in the second round and Jürgen Melzer in the third. His quarterfinal against 2000 champion Marat Safin extended to four sets, with Roddick prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. The semifinal against David Nalbandian proved pivotal: trailing two sets to one and facing a match point at 5-4 in the third-set tiebreak, Roddick saved it with a service winner, captured the tiebreak 9-7, and dominated the final two sets 6-3, 6-4 to advance after 3 hours and 50 minutes.[22] On September 7, he claimed the title in the final against defending champion and world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, winning 6-3, 7-6(2), 6-3 in 2 hours and 24 minutes, firing 27 aces and converting 5 of 9 break points while breaking Ferrero four times.[23] This victory marked Roddick's sole Grand Slam singles title and his first Major final appearance.[2] The US Open success propelled Roddick's season, which included six total titles (also Indianapolis, Queen's Club, and St. Pölten earlier), a 65-9 win-loss record, and $3,826,986 in prize money. He clinched the year-end No. 1 ATP ranking on November 3, 2003, at age 21, becoming the fifth-youngest player to achieve the feat and the first American since Pete Sampras in 1995.[3] Roddick held the top spot for nine weeks before Roger Federer overtook him, underscoring a brief but dominant peak driven by his record 1,456 aces for the year and aggressive serving style.[24]Wimbledon Finals and Major Rivalries (2004–2005)
In 2004, Andy Roddick reached his first Wimbledon final, defeating opponents including Taylor Dent and Alexander Popp en route, before facing defending champion Roger Federer in the championship match on July 4. Federer won the final 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(3), 6–4, securing his second consecutive Wimbledon title.[25] This encounter highlighted the emerging rivalry between Roddick and Federer, with Federer breaking Roddick's serve at critical moments despite Roddick's powerful serving, which included speeds exceeding 140 mph.[26] Earlier that year, Federer had also defeated Roddick in the Australian Open semifinals, contributing to Federer's head-to-head advantage of multiple wins over Roddick in high-stakes matches during 2004.[27] The 2004 Wimbledon final exemplified Roddick's aggressive baseline style clashing against Federer's versatile all-court game, where Federer won 73% of his service games compared to Roddick's 67%, and converted key break opportunities.[25] Roddick's performance kept the match competitive into the fourth set, but Federer's superior return play and movement on grass proved decisive. This loss marked the first of Roddick's four Grand Slam final defeats to Federer, underscoring a rivalry defined by Federer's dominance on fast surfaces.[27] Roddick returned to the Wimbledon final in 2005, held on July 3, after victories over Thomas Johansson and Sebastien Grosjean in the semifinals and quarterfinals, respectively. Federer again prevailed, 6–2, 7–6(2), 6–4, claiming his third straight Wimbledon crown in straight sets despite Roddick's resistance in the second set tiebreak.[28] The match lasted 1 hour and 41 minutes, with Federer breaking Roddick's serve three times and saving all breakpoints faced.[29] Roddick later acknowledged Federer's play as nearing unbeatable levels on grass during this period.[29] Throughout 2004 and 2005, the Federer-Roddick rivalry intensified, with Federer winning all major encounters, including the 2004 Bangkok final and the two Wimbledon finals, extending his head-to-head lead to several victories without Roddick securing a win against him in that span.[27] Federer's tactical adaptability, particularly in neutralizing Roddick's record-breaking serve through precise returns and net play, consistently frustrated Roddick's power-based strategy. Roddick's Grand Slam results in these years—semifinals at the 2004 Australian Open (loss to Federer), quarterfinals at the 2004 US Open (loss to Lleyton Hewitt), and quarterfinals at the 2005 Australian Open—further illustrated the challenges posed by top rivals, though none matched the frequency or intensity of clashes with Federer.[27]Mid-Career Challenges and Successes
Grand Slam Finals and Davis Cup Win (2006–2007)
In 2006, Roddick advanced to the US Open final for the second time in his career, defeating opponents including Fernando González in the semifinals before facing world No. 1 Roger Federer in the championship match on September 10. Federer defeated Roddick 6–2, 4–6, 7–5, 6–1 in a contest lasting 2 hours and 21 minutes, marking Roddick's fourth Grand Slam final appearance and his third loss to Federer in a major final.[2] Roddick's performance included 19 aces and a competitive second set win, but Federer's superior movement and return game proved decisive in the later sets. Shifting focus in 2007, Roddick prioritized the Davis Cup, contributing to the United States' first title since 1995 by winning all six of his singles rubbers across the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final, dropping just two sets in total. In the quarterfinal tie against Spain in April, he secured a 7–6(2), 7–6(4), 6–3 victory over Fernando Verdasco to help establish a 2–0 lead.[30] The semifinals in September saw Roddick defeat Sweden's Jonas Björkman 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 in Gothenburg to clinch advancement.[31] The final against defending champions Russia occurred November 30–December 2 at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon, where the U.S. prevailed 4–1. Roddick opened with a straight-sets win over Dmitry Tursunov, 6–4, 6–4, 6–2, followed by James Blake's victory over Mikhail Youzhny to seal the tie at 2–0 on the first day; the Bryan brothers then added a doubles win the next day.[30] This marked the U.S.'s 32nd Davis Cup title, with Roddick's undefeated run underscoring his leadership in the team effort.[2]Injuries, Longest Wimbledon Final, and Decline (2008–2009)
In 2008, Roddick encountered several injuries that disrupted his season, including a right shoulder issue that forced his withdrawal from the French Open in May.[32] He also retired in the Miami Masters quarterfinals due to a left hamstring strain and dealt with a back problem during a match against Stanislas Wawrinka.[33] Despite these setbacks, he secured three ATP titles: the SAP Open in San Jose, the Dubai Tennis Championships, and the China Open in Beijing.[3] The shoulder injury notably altered his forehand mechanics, contributing to a gradual erosion in that stroke's effectiveness against high-bouncing balls.[34] Roddick ended the year ranked No. 8 in the ATP singles standings.[35] Entering 2009, Roddick showed resilience by winning the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, his only title that year.[3] His campaign peaked at Wimbledon, where he advanced to the final against Roger Federer on July 5. In a grueling match lasting over four hours and comprising 77 games—the longest men's Grand Slam final in terms of games played—Roddick lost 5–7, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 3–6, 16–14.[36] He held serve throughout until the final game and won a record 39 games in a losing major final effort, but Federer's slight edge in tiebreaks and endurance prevailed.[37] During the fourth set of the Wimbledon final, Roddick sustained a right hip flexor injury, which worsened post-match and sidelined him from the U.S. Davis Cup quarterfinal against Croatia and the Indianapolis Tennis Championships.[38] [39] This, compounded by lingering effects from prior injuries like the 2008 shoulder problem, marked the onset of his performance decline, as physical wear limited his aggressive baseline style and consistency against top rivals. Roddick finished 2009 ranked No. 7.[35]Final Years and Retirement
Masters Title and Rankings Drop (2010–2011)
In 2010, Roddick secured his fifth and final ATP Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open, defeating Tomáš Berdych 7–5, 6–4 in the final on April 4 without facing a single break point.[40][41] He reached the semifinals by upsetting world No. 1 Rafael Nadal 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, marking a rare victory over the Spaniard on hard courts during that era.[42] This triumph, his first Masters 1000 crown since Cincinnati in 2006, propelled him back into title contention after a title drought, and he also captured the Brisbane International earlier that year for his 28th career singles title.[3] Despite these peaks, Roddick's season included setbacks, such as a quarterfinal loss at the Australian Open to Marin Čilić in five sets amid a shoulder injury and a final defeat at Indian Wells to Ivan Ljubičić.[43][44] Roddick's form waned mid-season, with a fourth-round upset loss at Wimbledon to Lu Yen-hsun 4–6, 4–6, 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5), 9–7—the Taiwanese player's first win over a top-10 opponent—and a second-round exit at the US Open against Jérémy Chardy following a heated dispute with officials over a foot fault call.[45][46] These inconsistencies contributed to a rankings slide, as he fell from No. 9 to No. 11 on August 9 after a third-round loss at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, marking the first time since ATP rankings began in 1973 with no American in the top 10.[47][48] He ended the year at No. 8, buoyed by late points but reflecting broader challenges against the era's dominant players.[18] Entering 2011, Roddick won his 30th title at the Memphis Open but struggled with inconsistent results and physical wear, reaching only sporadic deep runs like the US Open quarterfinals where he fell 6–2, 6–1, 6–3 to Rafael Nadal.[3][49] A third-round loss to Andy Murray 6–2, 6–2 at the Paris Masters on November 9 concluded his season outside the top 10 for the first time in nine years, with his ranking dipping as low as No. 27 during the year—his worst since 2001—due to expiring points from prior successes and limited high-level wins.[50] Injuries hampered his baseline aggression and serve reliability, exacerbating a tactical mismatch against top seeds, though he briefly returned to top-10 contention mid-year before fading.[19][18] This period underscored a career arc of diminishing returns against Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic's sustained excellence.[44]Retirement and Immediate Aftermath (2012)
Andy Roddick announced his retirement from professional tennis on August 30, 2012, coinciding with his 30th birthday, during a press conference at the US Open.[51] He stated that the tournament would mark the end of his career, citing a combination of persistent injuries, declining results at Grand Slams, and diminishing personal commitment as key factors, describing it as "just time" to step away.[52] Roddick emphasized that he had considered a reduced schedule but rejected a prolonged farewell tour, preferring a definitive exit to avoid prolonging an unsustainable effort.[51] Following the announcement, Roddick advanced through the draw, defeating Bernard Tomic in the third round on August 31, 2012, by a score of 6-3, 6-4, 6-0, and Fabio Fognini in the fourth round matchup extended his stay but ultimately succumbed in the fourth round to Juan Martín del Potro on September 5, 2012, losing 7-6(1), 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-3.[53] In his final match, Roddick displayed flashes of his signature power but was outlasted by del Potro's superior consistency and baseline play, marking the conclusion of his 12-year ATP career that included one Grand Slam title and a peak world No. 1 ranking.[53] Post-match, Roddick delivered an emotional on-court speech to the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd, expressing gratitude to fans, family, and coaches while visibly tearing up, reflecting on the innocence and joy the US Open had brought him akin to playing in a park as a child.[54] The tennis community responded with widespread tributes, with peers like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal acknowledging his influence on the sport's power era, though some expressed surprise at the abrupt timing given his recent Atlanta Open title win in July 2012.[55] In the immediate aftermath, Roddick shifted focus to his philanthropic efforts through the Andy Roddick Foundation, which supports at-risk youth via after-school programs, signaling a transition from competitive play to off-court impact without immediate involvement in coaching or broadcasting.[56] His retirement underscored the physical demands of elite tennis, as he noted the inability to maintain prior fitness levels had eroded his competitive edge against younger rivals.[57]Playing Style and Technical Analysis
Signature Serve and Aggressive Baseline Game
Andy Roddick's serve was his most distinctive weapon, characterized by exceptional velocity and precision that dominated service games throughout his career. On September 27, 2004, during a Davis Cup match against Belarus, he recorded a 155 mph serve, establishing the men's professional record at the time, which held for approximately seven years until surpassed by Ivo Karlović's 156 mph in 2011.[58] [59] Despite standing at 6 feet 2 inches, Roddick generated this power through explosive hip drive synchronized with shoulder rotation and full extension at contact, allowing him to square his body optimally to the ball for maximum racket-head speed.[60] [58] This technique, often termed his "bionic serve," minimized errors while maximizing aces, with Roddick leading the ATP tour in aces multiple times, including 1,188 in 2004 alone.[58] Complementing the serve, Roddick employed an aggressive baseline style centered on overpowering forehands to transition quickly from defense to offense. His forehand featured heavy topspin generated by pronounced forearm pronation, enabling inside-out trajectories hit from inside the baseline to redirect pace and target opponents' weaker sides.[61] Technically sound with a semi-Western grip, the shot emphasized flat-to-topspin hybrids for depth and angle, allowing Roddick to dictate rallies against top players early in his career.[62] This approach relied on the serve's free points to maintain pressure, as Roddick sought to "hurt" returners with aggressive forehand swings rather than prolonged exchanges, aligning with his serve-dominant philosophy.[62] In peak form, such as during his 2003 US Open title run, this combination yielded high unreturnable serve percentages and forehand winners, though it demanded precise execution to avoid unforced errors on faster surfaces.[63]Backhand Limitations and Tactical Adaptations
Roddick utilized a two-handed backhand characterized by a weak bottom-hand grip positioned between bevels 2 and 3, resembling an eastern forehand rather than a full continental or backhand grip, paired with an eastern forehand grip on the top hand.[64] This configuration, combined with an outside-in swing path starting from an external position rather than an inside-out arc, limited racquet head speed and topspin generation, resulting in lower ball velocity compared to his forehand or the backhands of contemporaries like Andre Agassi or Rafael Nadal.[65] The bent/straight arm structure at contact further emphasized reliance on the rear arm push over front-arm pull, reducing leverage and consistency under pressure, particularly on down-the-line shots or when stretched wide.[64] These technical flaws manifested as a relative vulnerability against elite opponents who targeted it with depth and angles, as evidenced by Roddick's career head-to-head struggles in prolonged rallies on slower surfaces like clay, where high-bouncing topspin exacerbated the shot's lack of penetration.[61] Against players like Federer, who exploited the backhand's directional limitations, Roddick won only 3 of 24 matches, often conceding points when forced into defensive backhand exchanges.[66] The shot proved adequate for consistency against lower-ranked foes but lacked the offensive punch needed to dictate play from the baseline against top-10 competition, contributing to his single Grand Slam title despite multiple finals appearances.[62] To mitigate these shortcomings, Roddick adopted tactics that minimized backhand exposure, frequently employing a defensive slice backhand to neutralize aggressive returns and disguise intentions, as noted by player Tommy Paul in describing how Roddick "hid" the drive backhand with slicing to buy time and transition to offense.[67] His massive serve, averaging over 130 mph on first deliveries, allowed him to shorten points and set up forehand-dominant rallies, while he selectively ran around the backhand to unleash inside-out forehands, though he avoided over-reliance on this to prevent fatigue.[61] This approach emphasized aggression from the forehand side and net approaches, enabling him to claim titles like the 2003 US Open by forcing errors before backhand weaknesses were fully tested in extended exchanges.[62]Comparisons to Contemporaries
Andy Roddick's playing style featured one of the most powerful serves in tennis history, reaching a recorded speed of 155 mph during the 2004 Davis Cup tie against Belarus, a mark that held as the fastest until 2011.[59] This service weapon enabled high hold percentages and short points, distinguishing him from contemporaries who prioritized consistency or versatility over raw power.[62] In contrast, Roger Federer's serve, while effective, emphasized placement and spin over velocity, typically topping out in the low 140s mph, allowing Federer greater control in rallies.[68] Roddick's aggressive baseline game relied on a flat, penetrating forehand to complement his serve, but his one-handed slice backhand proved vulnerable against the two-handed drives of peers like Federer and Novak Djokovic.[69] Federer's superior backhand and movement exploited this limitation, contributing to a lopsided head-to-head record of 3–21 in Federer's favor across 24 ATP matches.[27] Rafael Nadal's extreme topspin forehand and defensive retrieval disrupted Roddick's rhythm on slower surfaces, yielding Roddick only 3 wins in 10 encounters.[70] Against Djokovic, Roddick held a slight 5–4 edge, largely from early-career meetings before Djokovic developed his elite return and flexibility.[71]| Contemporary | Head-to-Head (Roddick Wins First) | Key Comparative Edge for Opponent |
|---|---|---|
| Roger Federer | 3–21 | All-court versatility and backhand superiority |
| Rafael Nadal | 3–7 | Topspin aggression and endurance on clay |
| Novak Djokovic | 5–4 | Defensive baseline play and return game |
| Lleyton Hewitt | 7–7 | Speed and counter-punching despite Roddick's power |
Key Rivalries and Head-to-Head Records
Dominance by Roger Federer
Roger Federer held a commanding 21–3 head-to-head advantage over Andy Roddick across their ATP Tour encounters, spanning from 2001 to 2011.[76] This lopsided record underscored Federer's technical superiority, particularly in neutralizing Roddick's powerful serve through precise returning and versatile baseline play. Roddick's three victories occurred in non-Grand Slam events: the 2003 Vienna final (6–3, 6–3), the 2004 Houston final (6–3, 3–6, 7–5), and the 2005 Canada Masters semifinal (6–4, 3–6, 6–3).[76] Their rivalry featured five Grand Slam finals, all won by Federer, highlighting the Swiss player's dominance in high-stakes matches. In the 2004 Wimbledon final on July 4, Federer defeated Roddick 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(3), 6–4, securing his second major title and ending Roddick's brief stint as world No. 1, which Federer assumed on February 2, 2004. The 2005 Wimbledon final saw Federer prevail 6–2, 7–6(2), 6–4 on July 3, extending his grass-court mastery. Their 2006 US Open final on September 10 resulted in a 6–2, 4–6, 7–5, 6–1 victory for Federer, marking his third consecutive title there.[76] The 2007 Australian Open semifinal on January 26 ended abruptly in Federer's favor, 6–4, 6–0, 6–2, as Roddick struggled with form following a career-high ranking resurgence. The most grueling clash came in the 2009 Wimbledon final on July 5, where Federer triumphed 5–7, 7–6(6), 7–6(5), 3–6, 16–14 after 4 hours and 16 minutes, equaling the longest men's Grand Slam final by games (77) and serving 50 aces to Roddick's 27. Roddick never defeated Federer in a major, with their 24 total meetings (including exhibitions) yielding zero Grand Slam wins for the American.[76][77] Federer's edge manifested in set dominance, winning 53 of 67 sets played, and a perfect 5–0 record in major finals against Roddick, which limited the American's opportunities for Slam breakthroughs post-2003. This rivalry exemplified Federer's adaptability against serve-reliant opponents, as he won 18 of their 21 decisive matches in straight or three sets, often breaking serve minimally yet efficiently.[78]Matches Against Rafael Nadal and Others
Roddick and Rafael Nadal met 10 times on the ATP Tour, with Nadal leading the head-to-head 7–3.[70] Their rivalry began at the 2004 US Open second round, where the second-seeded Roddick dominated the 18-year-old Nadal 6–0, 6–3 in straight sets.[70] Later that year, in the Davis Cup World Group final on December 3, 2004, Nadal evened the series by defeating Roddick 6–7(1), 6–2, 7–6(3), 6–2 on clay in Spain, securing Spain's first Davis Cup title.[70] This match marked Nadal's breakthrough against a top player, as his heavy topspin forehand neutralized Roddick's serve-and-volley tendencies on the slower surface. Nadal won five consecutive matches against Roddick from 2007 to 2009, including semifinals at Indian Wells in 2007 (6–4, 6–3) and 2009 (6–3, 6–3), as well as Queen's Club on grass in 2008 (7–5, 6–4), Roddick's only loss to Nadal on a fast surface during that streak.[70] Roddick broke the streak in the 2010 Miami Masters semifinals, upsetting the fourth-seeded Nadal 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 on hard courts, advancing to the final with strong serving (20 aces) and improved return play.[70] Nadal reclaimed dominance in subsequent meetings, including the 2011 US Open quarterfinals (6–2, 6–1, 6–3) and 2012 Miami semifinals (6–3, 6–3).[70] Roddick's lone other victory came at the 2004 Canada Masters, defeating Nadal 6–2, 6–2 in the second round.[70]| Date | Tournament | Round | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 31, 2004 | US Open | R2 | Roddick | 6–0, 6–3 |
| Dec 3, 2004 | Davis Cup Final | Rubber 3 | Nadal | 6–7(1), 6–2, 7–6(3), 6–2 |
| Aug 9, 2004* | Canada Masters | R2 | Roddick | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Mar 5, 2007 | Indian Wells | SF | Nadal | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Jun 15, 2008 | Queen's Club | F | Nadal | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Mar 12, 2009 | Indian Wells | SF | Nadal | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Mar 24, 2010 | Miami | SF | Roddick | 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Aug 31, 2011 | US Open | QF | Nadal | 6–2, 6–1, 6–3 |
| Mar 28, 2012 | Miami | SF | Nadal | 6–3, 6–3 |
Impact on Career Trajectory
Roddick's rivalry with Roger Federer profoundly influenced his major tournament outcomes, as Federer prevailed in all four Grand Slam finals they contested between 2004 and 2009, preventing Roddick from expanding beyond his sole US Open title from 2003.[76] Federer's 21–3 overall head-to-head dominance, with Roddick's wins limited to early-career matches in 2003 and 2004, underscored a persistent stylistic mismatch despite Roddick's record-setting serve speeds exceeding 150 mph, which yielded aces but failed to offset Federer's superior return and baseline precision in decisive sets.[76] This pattern contributed to Roddick's inability to reclaim the world No. 1 ranking after a brief nine-week stint in 2003–2004, as losses in high-stakes encounters eroded points accumulation and sustained elite contention.[5] Against Rafael Nadal, Roddick initially held an edge, winning their first three encounters in 2004, but Nadal reversed the series with six straight victories from 2007 onward, including key Masters 1000 clashes that further constrained Roddick's title pursuits on faster surfaces where his aggressive style theoretically aligned.[80] These lopsided results against the era's top players—compounded by emerging competition from Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray—manifested in Roddick's post-2003 trajectory of consistent top-10 finishes (over 400 weeks) but diminishing major breakthroughs, with no semifinal appearances after 2009.[5] The cumulative effect amplified physical tolls, including hip injuries that hampered his 2011–2012 seasons, culminating in a rankings slide outside the top 20 and retirement announcement on August 29, 2012, following a fourth-round US Open exit.[81] While Roddick amassed 32 ATP titles and over $20 million in prize money, the rivalries' one-sided nature highlighted tactical limitations, such as his one-handed backhand vulnerability, prompting adaptations like defensive slicing that extended his viability but could not bridge the gap to multiple majors or prolonged dominance.[5] Analysts have noted that without Federer's ascendancy, Roddick's final appearances might have yielded additional Slams, given his pre-2004 form, though empirical head-to-head data reflects the era's competitive hierarchy as a primary barrier to greater accolades.[82]On-Court Behavior and Public Persona
Temperament and Notable Outbursts
Andy Roddick exhibited a temperament marked by intense competitiveness and emotional volatility during matches, frequently channeling frustration into heated exchanges with umpires and lines officials over perceived erroneous calls.[83] This fiery disposition, often described as passionate rather than malicious, contributed to his reputation as an entertaining yet occasionally volatile presence on court, with outbursts including racquet smashing and profanity-laced arguments that drew both criticism and empathy from observers.[84] Despite these displays, Roddick demonstrated sportsmanship in instances such as the 2005 Rome Masters semifinal against Fernando Gonzalez, where he conceded a match point after believing it had clipped the line, despite the umpire's initial out call, ultimately costing him the victory.[85] Notable outbursts included a 2001 US Open quarterfinal meltdown against Lleyton Hewitt, where Roddick vehemently protested chair umpire Jorge Diaz's line call, gesturing wildly and questioning its accuracy amid a tight match.[86] In 2010, during a US Open second-round loss to Janko Tipsarevic, Roddick erupted over a lineswoman's foot-fault call on his right foot—a rarity in his service motion—demanding the umpire's intervention and sarcastically advising children courtside to "stay in school" after a prolonged dispute, highlighting his exasperation with officiating inconsistencies.[87] [88] Further incidents underscored this pattern: at the 2010 Australian Open, following a straight-sets win over Thomaz Bellucci, Roddick unleashed a profanity-filled tirade at the chair umpire over a hindrance call, later issuing a public apology via Twitter for his language.[89] [90] In 2011, during a Miami Masters loss to Richard Gasquet, he received a code violation warning for hurling his racquet in frustration after an early break.[91] Roddick also cited a 2005 Davis Cup tie line call as the most egregious umpiring error of his career, which incited fans to throw objects onto the court in protest.[92] These episodes, while sometimes escalating tension, reflected Roddick's unyielding pursuit of fairness in high-stakes environments, though they occasionally amplified scrutiny on his emotional control.[93]Nicknames and Media Perception
Andy Roddick adopted the nickname "A-Rod" early in his professional career, drawing parallels to his aggressive baseline power and serve dominance while embracing his status as a leading American player.[94] Despite initial resistance due to its association with baseball player Alex Rodriguez, Roddick promoted it through media appearances and endorsements, making it a staple in tennis commentary by the mid-2000s.[95] He was also occasionally dubbed "Rocket Man" for the explosive speed of his serves, which frequently exceeded 140 mph and set ATP records, such as 155 mph in 2004.[96] Media outlets initially portrayed Roddick as the brash heir to Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, emphasizing his raw athleticism and patriotic appeal as the face of U.S. tennis in the early 2000s.[97] Coverage often highlighted his 2003 US Open triumph at age 21 and brief world No. 1 stint in November 2003, positioning him as a marketable talent with a potent serve-volley hybrid style suited to fast courts.[98] However, as Roger Federer ascended in 2004, narratives shifted to Roddick's struggles against top-tier precision players, framing his one major title and 32 ATP wins as underachievements in a talent-saturated era dominated by Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic.[99] Roddick's public image incorporated his candid demeanor and occasional temper, with reports noting how his verbal sparring with umpires and rivals added edge to his persona, endearing him to fans seeking an anti-establishment figure amid tennis's global shift.[97] By 2009, following tactical adjustments like adopting a two-handed backhand slice and his runner-up finish at Wimbledon—where he held set points against Federer—media reevaluated him as resilient and evolving, moving beyond early "hot-headed" labels to recognize his professionalism and 12-year top-10 consistency.[98] Post-retirement in 2012, coverage has praised his unfiltered commentary, though he has critiqued sensationalist reporting for distorting player quotes into clickbait.[100]Umpiring Disputes and Rule Challenges
Andy Roddick engaged in several high-profile disputes with umpires and lines officials during his career, often triggered by contentious line calls, foot fault warnings, or enforcement of rules he viewed as inconsistently applied. These incidents highlighted his competitive intensity and frustration with officiating accuracy, particularly in tight matches where errors could sway outcomes. While Roddick occasionally displayed sportsmanship by self-correcting calls to his detriment, such as overturning a match-point overrule against Fernando Verdasco at the 2005 Rome Masters—resulting in a 6-7(4), 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 loss despite the initial victory call—his more frequent outbursts drew code violations and public scrutiny.[85][101] One of Roddick's earliest notable confrontations occurred in the 2001 US Open quarterfinals against Lleyton Hewitt, where he vehemently argued with chair umpire Jorge Diaz over repeated disputed calls, marking what observers described as his "first meltdown" in a major tournament and contributing to his four-set defeat.[86][102] In 2005, during a Davis Cup tie against Croatia, Roddick later identified a erroneous line call as the worst umpiring decision of his career; the mistake, which favored the opponent on a break point, incited spectators to throw objects onto the court, underscoring the match's volatility.[92] Foot fault calls proved particularly contentious for Roddick, given his technically precise serving motion. In a 2010 US Open second-round loss to Janko Tipsarević, a lineswoman's call on his right foot—unusual for Roddick, who rarely faulted that way—prompted an extended argument; Roddick questioned the umpire, who conceded he had never observed such a fault from him, yet the call stood amid Roddick's visible exasperation.[103] Similar frustrations surfaced in 2011 at Indian Wells against Richard Gasquet, where Roddick smashed his racket on his shoe and issued a verbal warning to the chair umpire after a dispute, earning a code violation.[104] Later that year at the Cincinnati Masters, he received a point penalty for striking a ball outside the stadium in anger toward an official during a match.[105] Roddick's disputes extended to physical incidents, such as a 2011 Australian Open collision where a linesman tackled him while chasing a ball, leading to profanity-laced complaints directed at the official.[106] In another 2010 Australian Open match, following a straight-sets defeat, he apologized publicly for profane language used in arguing with the chair umpire over calls, acknowledging the breach but defending his emotional investment.[89] These episodes, while not derailing his career, reflected broader tensions in tennis officiating before widespread Hawk-Eye adoption, with Roddick's challenges often rooted in demands for precision amid human error.[107]Equipment, Endorsements, and Business Ventures
Racquet and Gear Evolution
Andy Roddick adopted the Babolat Pure Drive Plus extended-length racquet early in his professional career, switching to it after a first-round loss in the 1999 US Open junior tournament, which propelled subsequent successes including wins at the Eddie Herr and Orange Bowl events.[108] This 27.5-inch frame, featuring early-generation specifications with painted Cortex technology for vibration dampening, became the cornerstone of his equipment setup, aligning with his serve-dominant style that produced speeds exceeding 140 mph.[109] [62] Throughout his tour tenure from 2000 to 2012, Roddick customized Babolat frames with adjustments to weight distribution and balance to optimize power and stability, though he maintained the core Pure Drive Plus mold without major model shifts.[110] Babolat introduced a signature Pure Drive Roddick line in the late 2000s, incorporating Woofer grommet technology for enhanced string movement and spin potential, which Roddick used until its discontinuation post-retirement.[111] For strings, he paired natural gut mains with polyester crosses at high tensions around 59/56 pounds to maximize control on his flat, penetrating groundstrokes and serve, a setup that evolved minimally but benefited from broader advancements in co-polyester durability during the poly-string era.[112] Beyond racquets, Roddick's gear included Babolat Propulse shoes, with a signature Propulse 3 model launched in 2011 tailored for durability on hard courts, reflecting his high-volume training and match demands that often required multiple pairs per tournament.[113] These selections emphasized explosive propulsion and grip, complementing his aggressive baseline play without documented shifts to other footwear brands during his career.[114]Major Sponsorship Deals
Andy Roddick secured several high-value sponsorship agreements during his professional tennis career, leveraging his status as a top-ranked player and 2003 US Open champion to partner with prominent brands in apparel, equipment, luxury goods, and services.[115] His deals often emphasized performance-oriented products aligned with his aggressive playing style, contributing significantly to his estimated career earnings from endorsements exceeding $30 million annually at peak.[116] In 2005, following the expiration of his Reebok contract, Roddick signed a five-year apparel endorsement deal with Lacoste valued at $25 million, marking a shift to the French brand's performance line after Reebok opted not to renew amid Adidas's acquisition.[117] He extended the partnership through 2013 and launched a signature performance apparel collection with Lacoste in fall 2011, featuring items co-designed for on-court use.[118][119] Roddick's equipment sponsorship with Babolat covered rackets and shoes, forming one of his core endorsements alongside Lacoste; he used customized Babolat Pure Drive rackets throughout much of his career, including his Grand Slam final appearances.[116] The deal provided stability in gear customization, though specific contract values remain undisclosed in public reports.[115] Other notable agreements included a 2005 luxury vehicle sponsorship with Lexus, reported at $24 million, which involved promotional appearances and vehicle provisions.[120] He also endorsed Rolex watches, frequently wearing them in high-profile matches such as Wimbledon finals, as part of the brand's tennis ambassador program.[121] Additional deals encompassed American Express for financial services and Parlux for a signature cologne line debuting in 2006.[120] In 2010, Roddick entered a long-term sponsorship with Aqiss Beverage Technologies, opting for equity shares in the sports drink company rather than cash.[122] These partnerships underscored Roddick's appeal to brands seeking associations with American marketability and competitive intensity.[123]Financial and Brand Impact
Roddick amassed approximately $20.6 million in career prize money from ATP Tour events, reflecting his 32 singles titles and consistent top-tier performance through 2012.[124] This figure excludes doubles earnings and underscores the financial rewards of his peak years, including the 2003 US Open victory that elevated his marketability.[125] Endorsement agreements amplified his income substantially, with deals from Lacoste for apparel, Babolat for equipment, and other partners like Rolex, Reebok, Lexus, and American Express generating tens of millions in additional revenue during and after his playing career.[126] [116] These sponsorships leveraged Roddick's image as a powerful server and American tennis icon, sustaining brand value post-retirement through ongoing partnerships such as a multiyear apparel deal with Psycho Bunny in 2025 and a podcast collaboration with Vox Media.[127] [128] His net worth stands at an estimated $40 million, derived primarily from these combined streams rather than prize money alone.[126] Beyond endorsements, Roddick has diversified through angel investing in over 40 ventures spanning real estate, tech, and consumer goods, including stakes in tennis analytics firm SwingVision and golf software company Whoosh, which bolster long-term financial stability and extend his brand into entrepreneurial spheres.[129] [130] [131] This approach has mitigated reliance on athletic performance, transforming his on-court success into enduring economic leverage while maintaining relevance in sports media and business networks.[132]Post-Retirement Activities
Tennis Involvement and Exhibitions
Following his retirement from professional competition after the 2012 US Open, Roddick sustained limited but periodic engagement with competitive tennis formats, primarily through team-based leagues and invitational events. In 2014, he transitioned from team ownership to active participation by joining the newly established Austin Aces in Mylan World TeamTennis (WTT), a league featuring shortened sets and mixed-gender team play. Roddick competed in multiple WTT seasons with the Aces, contributing his serve-heavy style to matches against opposing franchises, such as a 2015 road loss to the Washington Kastles where he fell 5-3 in singles to Bobby Reynolds.[133][134][135] His involvement helped promote the franchise in Austin, Texas, drawing local interest to the format's fast-paced, entertainment-oriented structure.[136] Roddick also appeared in select exhibition matches, often for promotional or charitable purposes, leveraging his name recognition to highlight events. Shortly after retiring, he defeated Milos Raonic 6-4, 4-6, 10-7 in the November 2012 Sport Chek Face-Off exhibition in Montreal. In 2015, he played a singles exhibition against friend James Blake in New Haven, Connecticut, and participated in a doubles event where he recorded 13 aces without being broken on serve. More recently, in July 2024, Roddick paired with John Isner to face the Bryan twins in a doubles exhibition to inaugurate the final Atlanta Open, marking a rare return to competitive play. In August 2025, during US Open festivities, he teamed with John McEnroe to oppose Juan Martín del Potro and Horacio Zeballos in another doubles showcase.[137][138][139][140][141] Beyond matches, Roddick has conducted instructional clinics tied to major tournaments, such as an exclusive on-court session at the 2019 US Open featuring drills and coaching for participants. These activities underscore his selective return to the court, prioritizing low-stakes, community-oriented tennis over full-time professional revival, while aligning with his post-career emphasis on foundation work and media analysis.[142]Broadcasting, Podcasting, and Commentary
Following his retirement from professional tennis in September 2012, Roddick transitioned into broadcasting, beginning with a role as co-host on Fox Sports 1's flagship program Fox Sports Live in May 2013.[143][144] He contributed to a variety of assignments, including panel discussions and hosting segments, and expressed interest in continuing as a long-term career while operating on year-by-year contracts through at least 2015.[145] Roddick also joined Tennis Channel's weekday program Tennis Channel Live, debuting on the show which aired from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET with encores.[146] In podcasting, Roddick launched Served with Andy Roddick in early 2024, co-hosted with journalist L. Jon Wertheim and featuring Served Media contributors, focusing on tennis analysis, player interviews, and broader sports discussions.[147][148] The weekly podcast emphasizes candid conversations with tennis figures, such as Roger Federer on retirement and Iga Świątek on her Wimbledon success, and has expanded to live broadcasts at events like the Laver Cup in September 2025.[149][150] By September 2025, Served had become the most popular tennis podcast in the United States, tripling its YouTube subscribers to 156,000 subscribers amid growing competition in sports podcasting.[151] Roddick's commentary style draws on his playing experience for insightful, unfiltered takes, including critiques of American tennis development and historical rivalries, while avoiding overly reverential tones toward contemporaries.[149][152] He has occasionally guest-appeared on platforms like Armchair Expert to discuss career resilience and retirement, reinforcing his media presence beyond dedicated tennis outlets.[153]Coaching Attempts and Player Mentorship
Following his retirement from professional tennis in September 2012, Roddick has avoided formal coaching positions on the ATP or WTA tours, citing a preference for flexibility amid family responsibilities and other pursuits. Instead, he has engaged in informal mentorship, maintaining ongoing communication with roughly a dozen active professional players who seek his counsel on strategy, mindset, and career management.[154] A notable example occurred ahead of the 2024 Australian Open, when Roddick advised his former coach Brad Gilbert—then working with Coco Gauff—on refining Gauff's serve by simplifying her toss and motion to reduce variables under pressure, a change credited with aiding her semifinal run.[155] This input drew from Roddick's own experience with serve mechanics, where he held the record for fastest serve (155 mph) until 2011.[155] Roddick extends mentorship to younger and developing players through sporadic involvement, such as serving as an informal guide for emerging American talents like Frances Tiafoe during exhibitions and practice sessions in the mid-2010s.[139] He has also conducted limited clinics, including an exclusive on-court session with coaching drills at the 2019 US Open.[142] Via the Andy Roddick Foundation, founded in 2001 and expanded post-retirement, Roddick supports after-school and summer programs for underserved youth in Austin, Texas, incorporating tennis instruction to build skills, discipline, and access to opportunities—mirroring the sport's role in his own development.[156] These initiatives prioritize holistic growth over elite competition, serving hundreds annually through partnerships that blend athletic mentoring with academic support.[157]Philanthropy and Foundation Work
Andy Roddick Foundation Initiatives
The Andy Roddick Foundation, established to support educational opportunities for underserved youth, primarily focuses on out-of-school time programs targeting low-income children, particularly those of color in the Austin, Texas area. Its core initiatives emphasize bridging learning gaps through structured afterschool and summer activities designed to maintain academic progress and foster skill development.[157][158] A flagship effort involves handcrafted summer camps, spring break programs, family nights, and at-home learning activities, which integrate academic enrichment in subjects like literacy, mathematics, science, and arts. These camps maintain a low 1:6 teacher-to-child ratio to ensure personalized engagement, delivering over 224 hours of active learning per session to counteract summer learning loss.[159][160] The foundation also equips afterschool partners with funding, tools, and training to elevate program quality, including tip sheets on topics such as activity planning for summer camps and recognizing child abuse.[161][162] Central to these efforts is the Learn All the Time Network (LATT), which convenes providers, collaborates across sectors, and delivers targeted interventions like the Reading Adventurers program to promote on-grade-level reading proficiency. LATT initiatives aim to eliminate learning inequities by improving state test scores, attendance rates, behavioral outcomes, and life skills such as self-confidence and resilience, while facilitating exposure to professionals in fields like science and culinary arts.[163][158][164] Additional training cohorts under LATT, including the Data for Learning and Assessing Quality Practices series, provide out-of-school time (OST) providers with data-driven strategies and quality assessment tools to sustain long-term program efficacy. These components collectively prioritize family engagement and academic continuity, with measurable reductions in school absences and disciplinary issues among participants.[163][157]Key Events and Community Impact
The Andy Roddick Foundation, established in 2000 when Roddick was 17 years old, has organized annual galas since 2012 to fund its programs, cumulatively raising over $12.5 million by 2024 to support afterschool and summer initiatives for underserved youth in Austin, Texas.[165] The 12th annual gala in February 2025, co-chaired by Amer Delic and Anna Dukes-Delic, generated more than $1.36 million through auctions, entertainment, and sponsorships, directly benefiting educational enrichment for low-income children.[166] Additional fundraising events include the Back to School Giveback Week from September 8-12, 2025, providing school supplies and resources, and the Butler, Birdies & BBQ Golf Invitational on October 2, 2025, which engages community donors in supporting youth programs.[167] These efforts have expanded access to high-quality out-of-school activities, growing from serving 80 children daily at one school in early years to over 300 at multiple sites like Hart Elementary by 2018, focusing on literacy, STEM, arts, and sports to address learning gaps.[168] Foundation-backed programs correlate with improved Texas standardized test scores, fewer school absences, reduced disciplinary referrals, and enhanced life skills such as self-confidence and resilience among participants, particularly children of color and from low-income families.[157] Advocacy initiatives amplify youth and family voices to secure policy support for afterschool and summer camps at local and state levels, fostering broader community collaborations to mitigate enrichment disparities where high-income families invest tenfold more in such activities over the past four decades.[157]Long-Term Goals and Outcomes
The Andy Roddick Foundation, established in 2001, aims to foster long-term educational equity by expanding access to high-quality out-of-school time (OST) programs, particularly afterschool and summer learning initiatives, to mitigate summer learning loss and enhance academic, social, and emotional development among underserved youth in the Austin, Texas area.[169] Its core objectives include partnering with community organizations to deliver structured activities in STEM, literacy, arts, and sports, enabling children to discover passions and build skills for future success, while advocating for policy support at local and state levels to sustain funding and awareness for such programs.[157][156] This approach prioritizes empirical evidence from educational research showing that consistent OST engagement correlates with improved student outcomes, such as higher graduation rates and reduced achievement gaps, over short-term interventions.[169] Key long-term strategies involve scaling operations through networks like the Learn All The Time (LATT) initiative, which equips partners with resources for year-round programming, and initiatives such as the "Let's Create Our Future" Giving Circle, where multi-year donor pledges fund program expansion and infrastructure for enduring community impact.[170] The foundation envisions a self-sustaining ecosystem where families and schools collaborate to prioritize OST learning, reducing reliance on sporadic philanthropy by embedding these opportunities into local education frameworks.[156] In practice, this has manifested in the development of nationally recognized six-week summer camps that combat seasonal learning regression, with curricula designed to reinforce school-year gains through hands-on, multidisciplinary experiences.[171] Outcomes demonstrate measurable progress toward these goals, including support for over 45,000 afterschool and summer learning slots across 39 LATT partners in 2024, enabling broader reach without proportional increases in administrative overhead. Partnerships, such as those with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area, have led to the launch of three new youth centers, providing permanent spaces for ongoing programs and serving hundreds of additional children annually with evidence-based activities that boost attendance and skill acquisition.[173] Longitudinal effects include documented improvements in participants' academic performance and emotional resilience, as OST models like those funded by the foundation align with studies linking extended learning to long-term socioeconomic mobility, though independent evaluations remain limited to partner reports and state filings.[169] By 2015, early expansions had already sustained afterschool access for over 250 students, illustrating scalable growth that has persisted into multi-thousand-participant cohorts today.[174]Personal Life
Marriage and Family
Roddick married model and actress Brooklyn Decker on April 17, 2009, in an intimate ceremony at his home in Austin, Texas.[175][176] The couple, who began dating in 2007 after meeting through mutual connections in the sports and entertainment industries, have maintained a stable partnership focused on privacy amid Roddick's post-retirement endeavors.[177] Roddick and Decker have two children: son Hank, born September 30, 2015, in Austin, Texas,[178] and daughter Stevie, born in late November 2017.[179] The family has resided primarily in the United States, with the couple prioritizing limited public exposure of their children while balancing professional commitments.[180]Residence and Lifestyle Changes
Following his retirement from professional tennis in September 2012, Andy Roddick and his wife, Brooklyn Decker, established their primary residence in Austin, Texas, where they purchased a 15-acre estate in Northwest Austin in 2013 for an undisclosed amount.[181] The property, originally custom-built in 2003, featured 7,367 square feet with updates including a renovated kitchen and outdoor amenities overlooking the Texas Hill Country.[182] They listed the home for sale in September 2018 at $5.95 million and completed the transaction in 2019 for $4.6 million.[183] [184] The couple also maintained a secondary mountain retreat in Cashiers, North Carolina, spanning 2.76 acres with lake views, which they listed for sale in 2016 at an initial price of $2.75 million before selling it on December 21, 2016, for $2.35 million.[185] [186] By April 2022, Roddick and Decker had relocated permanently to North Carolina with their two children, son Hank (born December 2015) and daughter Stevie (born 2018), though they expressed ongoing affection for Austin as their conceptual "home base."[187] [142] Post-retirement lifestyle adjustments centered on family priorities and reduced travel demands, contrasting Roddick's prior 12-year routine of advance-scheduled global tournaments.[188] He adopted running as his primary exercise to manage weight and maintain fitness, describing it as an accessible method without the intensity of tennis training.[189] Fatherhood introduced new routines, with Roddick noting in 2016 that it reframed his perspective on legacy beyond athletic achievements, emphasizing presence for his children's early years over competitive pursuits.[190] Despite these shifts, he maintained an active non-leisure approach, focusing on investments through his firm, Angel Investor, while avoiding excessive downtime.[191]Interests Outside Tennis
Roddick has long cited golf and basketball as key recreational pursuits outside of tennis, activities he enjoyed even during his professional career for relaxation and social engagement.[192][193] These interests trace back to his youth, where basketball involvement extended to high school varsity play before he prioritized tennis.[194] Music holds significant appeal for Roddick, who favors artists such as the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer, and he has mentioned creating custom CDs as a personal hobby.[192][2] He also appreciates cinema, naming The Shawshank Redemption as his favorite film, and values casual socializing with friends as a core leisure activity.[2][192] Additional pastimes include poker, pool, and photography, which provided outlets for downtime amid his demanding schedule.[195] Post-retirement, Roddick adopted pickleball, particularly enjoying it as an accessible family activity with his son in their driveway.[196]Career Statistics and Records
Grand Slam Performance and Finals
Andy Roddick reached five Grand Slam finals during his career, securing one title and suffering four defeats, with the losses all against Roger Federer.[2] His overall Grand Slam record included consistent deep runs on hard courts and grass, where his powerful serve proved most effective, contrasted by limited success on clay at the French Open, where his best result was a quarterfinal appearance in 2009.[2] Roddick advanced to the semifinals nine times across the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, but never progressed beyond the fourth round at Roland Garros.[4] Roddick claimed his lone major title at the 2003 US Open, defeating fourth-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final 6–3, 7–6(2), 6–3 on September 7, 2003.[21] En route, he overcame David Nalbandian in a five-set semifinal, saving a match point after trailing two sets to one.[21] This victory marked the last Grand Slam singles title won by an American man until Sam Querrey's hypothetical future success remains unrealized as of 2025.[21] In the 2004 Wimbledon final on July 4, Federer defeated Roddick 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(6), 2–6, 2–6, denying Roddick a first grass-court major.[76] Roddick had reached the final after a strong grass season, but Federer's superior movement and returning neutralized Roddick's serve in key moments. The 2005 Wimbledon final saw Federer win more decisively, 2–6, 6–7(2), 4–6, on July 3, 2005, as Roddick struggled to convert break opportunities against Federer's baseline consistency.[76] Roddick's 2006 US Open final appearance ended in a 6–2, 4–6, 7–5, 6–1 loss to Federer on September 10, 2006, after Roddick had upset top seed Federer in the 2003 Queen's Club event earlier in his career but could not replicate that form.[76] The most grueling encounter came in the 2009 Wimbledon final, where Federer prevailed 5–7, 7–6(6), 7–6(5), 3–6, 16–14 on July 5, 2009, in a match lasting four hours and 16 minutes and totaling 77 games—setting a record for the longest Wimbledon men's singles final.[37] Roddick won 39 games, the most by a losing finalist in Wimbledon history, highlighting his resilience with 27 aces and effective serving under pressure, though Federer's endurance in the fifth set proved decisive.[37]| Tournament | Final Result | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 US Open | Won | Juan Carlos Ferrero | 6–3, 7–6(2), 6–3[21] |
| 2004 Wimbledon | Lost | Roger Federer | 4–6, 7–5, 7–6(6), 2–6, 2–6[76] |
| 2005 Wimbledon | Lost | Roger Federer | 2–6, 6–7(2), 4–6[76] |
| 2006 US Open | Lost | [Roger Federer](/page/Roger Federer) | 6–2, 4–6, 7–5, 6–1[76] |
| 2009 Wimbledon | Lost | Roger Federer | 5–7, 7–6(6), 7–6(5), 3–6, 16–14[37] |
ATP Masters Titles and Overall Wins
Andy Roddick captured five ATP Masters 1000 titles, highlighting his prowess in high-stakes events during the mid-2000s era dominated by Roger Federer. These included victories at the 2003 National Bank Open in Montreal (defeating David Nalbandian 6–1, 6–3 in the final on hard courts), the 2003 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati (overcoming Mardy Fish 4–6, 7–6(3), 7–6(4) on hard courts), the 2004 Mutua Madrid Open (beating Tim Henman 6–4, 6–3 on indoor hard courts), the 2006 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati (defeating Juan Ignacio Chela 6–3, 6–4 on hard courts), and the 2010 Miami Open (edging Tomáš Berdych 7–5, 6–4 on hard courts).[3][2] His 2003 sweep of the Canada and Cincinnati Masters preceded his US Open triumph, marking a peak in form with 25 match wins across those three tournaments.[21] Beyond Masters events, Roddick amassed 32 ATP singles titles in total, spanning ATP 250, 500, and Masters levels, with a strong emphasis on hard courts (24 titles) and grass (3 titles).[3] His career singles win-loss record on the ATP Tour was 612–213, reflecting a .742 winning percentage and sustained competitiveness over 16 seasons.[5] These figures underscore Roddick's reliability in accumulating victories against top competition, though his Masters successes were concentrated early in his prime.[197]| Year | Tournament | Surface | Final Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Canada Open (Montreal) | Hard | David Nalbandian | 6–1, 6–3 |
| 2003 | Cincinnati Masters | Hard | Mardy Fish | 4–6, 7–6(3), 7–6(4) |
| 2004 | Madrid Masters | Indoor Hard | Tim Henman | 6–4, 6–3 |
| 2006 | Cincinnati Masters | Hard | Juan Ignacio Chela | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 2010 | Miami Open | Hard | Tomáš Berdych | 7–5, 6–4 |
Service Records and Unique Achievements
Andy Roddick's serve was renowned for its exceptional speed and power, serving as a cornerstone of his playing style throughout his professional career. On March 16, 2004, during a Davis Cup match against Vladimir Voltchkov, Roddick recorded a serve measured at 155 mph (249.4 km/h), which stood as the fastest serve in ATP history at the time and remained the benchmark until surpassed by Ivo Karlović in 2011.[59][198] This achievement underscored his technical proficiency with a cannon-like delivery, often generating first serves above 130 mph and contributing significantly to his match-winning capabilities. In career service statistics compiled by the ATP Tour, Roddick amassed 9,074 aces across 825 matches, placing him among the all-time leaders in this category and highlighting the serve's role in his 32 ATP titles.[199] He won 90% of his service games, reflecting a high hold percentage that ranked second all-time among players with substantial match volume, behind only Ivo Karlović.[199] Roddick's first-serve win percentage stood at 79%, complemented by a 56% success rate on second serves, while maintaining a 65% first-serve in rate despite the aggressive velocity.[199] Unique accomplishments include serving over 1,000 aces in a single year during 2004, a feat achieved by only a select few players in ATP history, and recording a career-high of 42 aces in a single match against Mikhail Youzhny at the 2007 Dubai Championships.[200][2] These metrics and records illustrate how Roddick's serve not only deterred breaks but also frequently clinched points outright, compensating for relative limitations in other facets of his baseline game against top contemporaries.
Legacy and Critical Assessment
Achievements in Context of Federer-Nadal-Djokovic Era
Andy Roddick's professional career from 2000 to 2012 overlapped significantly with the dominance of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, who amassed 66 Grand Slam singles titles collectively during their peaks. Roddick captured his sole major title at the 2003 US Open, defeating world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero 6–3, 7–6(2), 6–3 in the final, marking the last Grand Slam victory by a player outside the Big Three trio up to that point in the early 2000s.[2] He reached three further major finals—all losses to Federer—including the 2004 Wimbledon (4–6, 7–5, 7–6(6), 6–4), 2005 Wimbledon (6–2, 7–6(2), 6–4), and 2006 Australian Open (6–2, 7–5, 7–6(2)).[4] These results underscored Roddick's competitiveness on fast surfaces like grass and hard courts, where his serve averaged over 130 mph, but highlighted technical limitations in baseline rallies against Federer's all-court precision.[201] Roddick's head-to-head records against the Big Three illustrate the era's challenges: 3–21 versus Federer, 3–7 against Nadal, and 5–4 over Djokovic, with the latter including a quarterfinal upset of the defending 2008 Australian Open champion Djokovic at the 2009 Australian Open (6–3, 6–2, 1–6, 6–3).[202] These matches often featured Roddick's aggressive serving—holding the record for fastest serve at 155 mph until 2011—but exposed vulnerabilities in return games and endurance during extended rallies, particularly on clay where Nadal excelled.[203] Despite the lopsided outcomes against Federer, Roddick pushed him to five sets in three Wimbledon finals, including the 2009 epic (5–7, 7–6(8), 7–6(5), 3–6, 16–14), the longest major final in history at 77 games.[204] Beyond majors, Roddick secured 32 ATP singles titles, including five Masters 1000 events such as Queen's Club (2003, 2004, 2005, 2011) and others like Dubai (2008) where he defeated Federer in the final.[3] He attained the world No. 1 ranking on November 3, 2003, holding it for nine non-consecutive weeks, and maintained top-10 status for 515 weeks, providing sustained contention amid the Big Three's rise—Federer's first Wimbledon win preceded Roddick's US Open triumph by weeks, while Nadal and Djokovic emerged fully post-2005.[2] Roddick's serve dominance yielded ATP records for aces in a season (1,174 in 2004) and career percentage, enabling upsets like his 2003 Davis Cup contributions to the US team's victory.[1] In this context, his achievements represent peak American performance against an unprecedented trio, though constrained by their superior adaptability and longevity.[205]Criticisms of Underachievement and Technical Flaws
Critics have frequently labeled Roddick an underachiever due to his solitary Grand Slam victory at the 2003 US Open, despite reaching three additional finals—in the 2004, 2005, and 2009 Wimbledon championships, as well as the 2006 US Open—where he fell short against Roger Federer each time.[206] This pattern contributed to perceptions of him as a "one-slam wonder," particularly as his career coincided with the dominance of Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, against whom he compiled a 3-21 record versus Federer alone, winning just three of 24 encounters overall.[207] Analysts argued that Roddick's game, optimized for hard courts, faltered on grass and clay, where he posted a 32-3 record on grass from 2003 to 2005 yet secured no titles there, highlighting a failure to capitalize on surface-specific strengths amid elite competition.[208] Technical critiques centered on Roddick's over-reliance on his serve, which, while record-setting in aces (peaking at 1,177 in 2004), masked deficiencies elsewhere, such as a one-dimensional style lacking versatility against top-tier returners like Federer.[209] His backhand drew specific scrutiny for a flawed Eastern forehand grip that hindered body rotation and topspin generation, rendering it vulnerable under pressure and less effective than his forehand.[210] Commentators noted poor net instincts and volleying, with Roddick admitting perceptions that he "couldn't volley" or transition effectively, limiting his ability to finish points proactively rather than defensively grinding from the baseline.[209] These elements, compounded by average movement and court coverage for his era, were seen as causal barriers to broader success, as American players like Roddick often prioritized power over balanced shot-making.[211][212]Influence on American Tennis and Hall of Fame Induction
Roddick represented a transitional figure for American men's tennis, bridging the dominant era of Sampras and Agassi with a prolonged period of international supremacy by non-Americans. His 2003 US Open victory marked the last Grand Slam singles title for a U.S. male player, initiating a drought exceeding 22 years as of 2025, during which no American has reached a major final since Roddick's 2009 Wimbledon loss to Roger Federer.[213] Achieving the world No. 1 ranking on November 3, 2003, and securing 32 ATP titles—including five at the Masters level—Roddick sustained U.S. visibility in elite competition against the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic triad, while leading the Davis Cup-winning American team in 2007 through decisive performances in the final against Russia.[2] Roddick's explosive serving, which established an ATP single-season record of 1,174 aces in 2004, exemplified and popularized a power-oriented baseline game that shaped subsequent American training paradigms, emphasizing velocity and aggression over finesse amid slower court surfaces and equipment changes.[2] [214] Post-retirement, his Andy Roddick Foundation, established in 2000, has funded after-school and athletic initiatives for low-income youth in Austin, Texas, fostering early talent development and earning USTA recognition for bolstering community-level participation.[215] His podcast, Served with Andy Roddick, provides candid analysis of emerging U.S. players' technical and mental gaps, urging adaptations like enhanced return games to compete globally.[149] On July 22, 2017, Roddick was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, alongside Kim Clijsters, for his No. 1 tenure, sole major triumph, serve dominance, and Davis Cup contributions that upheld American standards during a talent vacuum.[1] [216] The enshrinement highlighted his role in preserving competitive depth for the U.S., despite never fully overcoming rivals' superior adaptability, positioning him as a benchmark for future generations amid the ongoing major-title absence.[217]References
- https://tea.texas.gov/reports-and-data/legislative-reports/report-to-the-89th-[texas](/page/Texas)-legislature.pdf
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