US OPEN 2012
US OPEN DIARY: RODDICK SHOWS OFF HIS MOVES
New York, U.S.A.
by ATP Staff | 04.09.2012
Andy Roddick laughs as he watches
Larry Stefanki dance.
ATPWorldTour.com takes a look at the news and talking points at the US Open on the second Tuesday.
Roddick’s Got The Moves
Andy Roddick saw his lead in the first set slip away before rain suspended play Tuesday night at Flushing Meadows. Both could’ve been good reasons to frown, but instead, Roddick was in good spirits as he waited under an umbrella for tournament officials to determine whether players should head back to the locker room.
The reason? Across the court, his coach Larry Stefanki was showing off his dance moves while sitting in the players’ box, moving his legs and shoulders in time with the music. Roddick followed in suit, laughing as he did his rendition of the Cabbage Patch from his seat.
Berdych Looking Forward To Federer Clash
Tomas Berdych has a 4-11 FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Roger Federer going into their quarter-final on Wednesday. They have split their last six meetings, with two of Berdych’s past three wins coming on North American hard courts.
“It's a quite nice statistic,” admitted Berdych. “But this is another one. He played some incredible tennis again, won another Grand Slam, become No. 1 again, so probably there is no better player at all to play right now. When I saw the draw in the beginning, it was like, ‘Yeah, that would be the goal to get into play a match with Roger.’ I was able to beat him three times. He's now strong again, but I think it's going to be quite [a] different match than the matches before. I'm [a] different player as well. I'm getting more experience and [I’m] feeling good.”
A Piece Of History
Want a ball from Roddick’s match against Juan Martin del Potro or perhaps Federer’s upcoming match against Berdych? Fans at the US Open can visit a booth at the US Open, where the match-used balls are available for purchase. While these have been sold at Wimbledon and the US Open in the past, this marks the first time that the tennis balls have been authenticated and sealed in clear boxes.
One fan from Florida, Mike Strange, told The New York Times that he paid $79 for a ball from Roddick’s first round match against Rhyne William. “My wife was happy with her present, but was more touched that I took the time to get him to sign it,” he said of the unique souvenir.
Pippa In Attendance
Pippa Middleton, sister of The Duchess of Cambridge, has been a regular at tennis tournaments in London. On Tuesday, she was seen at Flushing Meadows - with her credential reflecting that she came as a guest of Roger Federer. She attended the tournament with Spencer Vegosen, a former junior player. Middleton watched the women’s quarter-final between Victoria Azarenka and defending champion Samantha Stosur, the only match to be completed on Arthur Ashe Stadium on a rainy Tuesday, and also toured the media facilities.
Life Without Roddick
Jim Courier, the former World No. 1 and United States Davis Cup captain, announced his first team without Roddick. He selected John Isner, Sam Querrey, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan for the semi-final tie in Spain from 14-16 September. Roddick played in 25 Davis Cup ties (33-12 singles record).
“Andy has certainly set a high bar,” said Courier. “He’s been the leader for the past decade. God knows how many wins under pressure he’s clinched for us, but we have been planning for the transition. There are some other players who have stepped up this year. The team is going to miss Andy, but it’s the circle of life.”
Match Of The Day
David Ferrer became just the second Spaniard in the Open Era to reach all four Grand Slam quarter-finals in a calendar after defeating Frenchman Richard Gasquet 7-5, 7-6(2), 6-4 in the only men’s singles match to be completed Tuesday at Flushing Meadows. Though the match clocked in at two hours and 54 minutes, it spanned close to eight hours due to numerous rain delays.
Tweet Of The Day
Boris Becker (@Becker_Boris) shared a picture he took with Ivan Lendl and Mats Wilander on Tuesday in New York. “What can I say...Ivan,Mats and BB in at the USOPEN!!! yfrog.com/kkus9psfj”