Andy Roddick

Andrew "Andy" Stephen Roddick, (born August 30, 1982, Omaha, Nebraska, USA), nicknamed "A-Rod" http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8347427/, is an American former World No. 1 tennis player. As of September 2005, Roddick ranked as the best male U.S. tennis player and the third-best in the world by the Association of Tennis Professionals, behind Federer and Nadal. Roddick is known for his explosive serves, powerful forehands, and off-court charm.

Tennis career

Roddick turned professional in 2000 at 18, and became the youngest man to end the year in the ATP Top 200 (a record broken in 2002 by 16-year-old French Richard Gasquet). In 2001, he became the youngest player to end the year in the ATP Top 20.

Related Topics:
2000 - Richard Gasquet - 2001

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Roddick's outstanding hardcourt record in summer 2003 included his first Grand Slam title at the 2003 U.S. Open, in which he rallied from two sets down in the semifinals to beat David Nalbandian and dispatching finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets.

Related Topics:
Grand Slam - 2003 - U.S. Open - David Nalbandian - Juan Carlos Ferrero

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In 2003, at age 21, he was ranked No. 1, the first American to finish a year at No. 1 since Andre Agassi in 1999. He also became the youngest American and second-youngest player (behind Australian Lleyton Hewitt, aged 20 years, 8 months) to hold this rank since computer rankings were started in 1973.

Related Topics:
Andre Agassi - 1999 - Australian - Lleyton Hewitt - 1973

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In 2004, Roddick set the world record for the fastest serve: 246.2 km/h (153.5 mph) during a straight-set victory over Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan in the quarter-finals of the Queens Club grass-court tournament. On August 31 of that year, he had the fastest serve in US Open history: 244 km/h (152 mph). But Roddick was unexpectedly knocked out of the tournament in a spectacular 5-set quarterfinal match against another big server, Joachim Johansson. He finished 2004 ranked as the world's No. 2, the USA's No. 1, and the player with the most aces (he hit 1017 of them in 2004).

Related Topics:
Km/h - Mph - Thailand - Paradorn Srichaphan - Queens Club - US Open - Joachim Johansson

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In 2004, Roddick joined Mardy Fish and doubles players Bob and Mike Bryan on the U.S. Davis Cup team that lost to Spain in the finals in Seville. In 2005, Andre Agassi joined the team, and played behind Roddick at No. 2.

Related Topics:
Mardy Fish - Bob and Mike Bryan - Davis Cup - Seville - 2005 - Andre Agassi

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In 2004, Roddick fired his coach of 18 months, Brad Gilbert, and hired assistant Davis Cup coach Dean Goldfine.

Related Topics:
Brad Gilbert - Dean Goldfine

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Roddick's first 2005 victory was the SAP Open in San José, California, where he was the first to win the event in consecutive years since Mark Philippoussis in 1999 and 2000. The top-seeded Roddick breezed to a 6-0, 6-4 victory over Cyril Saulnier in 50 minutes, the event's first championship shutout set since Arthur Ashe beat Guillermo Vilas in 1975.

Related Topics:
San José, California - Mark Philippoussis - Cyril Saulnier - Arthur Ashe - Guillermo Vilas

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On April 24, 2005, Roddick won the U.S. Men's Claycourt Championships, reclaiming the title he won in 2001 and 2002. He lost in 2003 to Andre Agassi and in 2004 to Tommy Haas.

Related Topics:
Andre Agassi - Tommy Haas

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In May 2005, top-seeded Roddick chose sportsmanship over a slot in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters when he challenged a ruling that favored him at a triple match point. After Roddick's objections, his opponent Fernando Verdasco was awarded an ace instead of a double fault. Verdasco then saved two more match points, held serve, broke Roddick's serve, and eventually won the match.

Related Topics:
Sportsmanship - Rome Masters - Fernando Verdasco

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At Roland Garros 2005, Roddick lost to the unseeded Argentine player Jose Acasuso in the second round.

Related Topics:
Roland Garros - Jose Acasuso

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At Wimbledon 2005, Roddick lost to Roger Federer in the final for the second year in a row.

Related Topics:
Wimbledon - Roger Federer

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At U.S. Open 2005, Roddick lost to Gilles Muller in the first round. Roddick's last U.S. Open first round loss was in 2000.

Related Topics:
U.S. Open - Gilles Muller

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