Category archive: Andy Roddick
Sony Ericsson Open Headlines
But, believe it or not, a whole lot more transpired. Here are our top 10 takeaways from a tournament rife with entertainment and unexpected drama:
1. Listen to me, would ya?
Don't you just want to give Maria Sharapova and Andy Murray a good old finger-wagging, in-your-grill lashing on how to win? Maria, please stop making those silly mistakes. Andy, why can't you play the important points better? If only it were so easy to follow these directives, we might have two different champions at the podium. Alas, the stubborn ones find themselves the bridesmaids again. But before we get too down on Murray and Sharapova, let's consider the good: Murray was, after all, playing the world's greatest player. No one, but no one, has found the necessary ingredients to blunt Djokovic's pristine play in these mandatory tournaments. But the saga of the mercurial Murray has gone on for so long that you wonder if he'll ever find a way to leverage his dynamic shot-making during key moments. As for Sharapova, lest we forget, she's been a top-tier player going back almost a decade now, finishing in the top 10 every year since 2004, except for 2009 and 2010. That's an incredibly hard feat. She's come back from a career-threatening shoulder injury and still sits at No. 2 on the world. But Sharapova, by her own admission, knows only one way to play: fast and furious. If she could channel just a little Caroline Wozniacki and stick with the point a shot or two longer, who knows? For now, second place will have to suffice for these two.
2. A new breed of success
Radwanska won the Sony Ericsson Open with a brand of tennis that's tricky to explain. She's defensive-minded, as we know, but she also plays a beguiling style that her opponents don't seem to like very much. Radwanska is kind of like Wozniacki in her overall approach, but with more creativity. She's a little bit like Jelena Jankovic, but with superior precision. Her unassailable attention to detail and her unique tactical approach have vaulted her up the ranking to No. 4. But, like Wozniacki, you wonder how high the ceiling is. You also have to wonder how long until the power hitters figure out how to crack her craft, much like they did versus Woz. But for now, Aga, as she now likes to be referred to, is doing all the little things right, which is leading to some big results.
3. You sure fooled us
Venus, Venus, where have you been? There were few people in and around the game who gave her any shot of producing a decent result, considering her extended time away. Venus Williams, who surmounted a few arduous three-setters to reach the quarterfinals in Miami, might not move with fleet of feet, which she never really has, and sometimes appears to be limbering along with almost no footwork. But she can still serve some serious heat, and she can also end points early when she's in the right position. That'll be a lethal combination at the All England Club. Plus, her five previous Wimbledon trophies suggest she has an inkling on how to make a healthy living on those lush lawns.
4. Rafa, don't be so sad
In a vacuum, Rafael Nadal appears to be your typical superstar going through a few rough patches. But if you parse it closely, the issues are a lot more disconcerting: He hasn't won a title in a year, his knees are hurting and he's obviously ticked off by his inability to persuade the ATP brass to adopt his views on a scheduling reform and a two-year ranking system. And he's even more vexed that his greatest on-court rival, Federer, won't use his vast influence to help push his agenda. Nadal's overall dour disposition came to light at Key Biscayne, even before pulling out of his semifinal match against Murray. The grind of the tennis season takes a hefty toll, especially for someone who plays as punishing as Nadal. If he's not in the right frame of mind, 2012 could be a long season. Fortunately for him, the clay circuit, his longtime oasis, is next on the calendar, but you get this uneasy suspicion that things might not work out for him quite the way they have in the past.
5. Welcome to planet Earth, Vika
You can't win them all. Well, Victoria Azarenka did until finally conceding to Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals. But don't get too worked up. Azarenka's level and, more so, her will to win from the onset of the season have greatly changed from a year ago. For Bartoli, she's made a nice living thwarting the game's giants. She ended Serena Williams' run at Wimbledon last year, and in 2007, Bartoli reached the final of Wimbledon before running into a far superior Venus Williams. As we reported last week, Bartoli actually has 12 career wins over top-five players. But as for Azarenka, she should fare quite nicely on the dirt. Azarenka's irrepressible mindset is a good match for the surface, which requires maximum physical output.
6. Slow down, boy
It was clear from the beginning that the slower conditions here in Miami were going to be a considerable obstacle for Roger Federer to overcome. The courts themselves are slightly faster than at Indian Wells, but the high humidity caused the ball to almost poof up after hitting the ground. Federer's stout strokes were clearly nullified, and Andy Roddick capitalized. Of course, it didn't hurt that Roddick played "like the No. 1 player in the world," as Federer said after the match.
7. Woz up with that?
Say what you want about the most scrutinized player on the WTA. But Wozniacki showed she has enough game to hang with today's power players, when she wants to. Against Sharapova, she was in it until the bitter end when a controversial call (albeit the right one) on a Sharapova serve led to an abrupt ending to the match. But Wozniacki showed some pop on her own serve and, on occasion, some oomph in her groundies. Perhaps she is taking a small step toward making the requisite changes everyone knows she needs to make.
8. Going, going … gone!
It was a pretty amazing scene on center court this past Friday afternoon. With the air yanked out of the stadium after Nadal withdrew from his semifinal match against Murray, world No. 1 Djokovic galloped onto center court a couple of hours later for a practice session. But first, he began taking … batting practice as his hitting partner pitched ball after ball to him. Djokovic used the handle of his racket as a baseball bat and smacked some prodigious home runs into the sparse, but suddenly galvanized, crowd. This was, obviously, intended for the amusement of the fans, but you couldn't help but admire his superb hand-eye coordination.
9. Ewww!
Radek Stepanek has to be ugliest dressed tennis player -- maybe ever. (Well, perhaps second to Dominik Hrbaty, but that's a conversation for a different day). Forgive the hyperbole, but his garish blue-checkered, wannabe golf shirt crammed way too tightly into his slightly-longer-than-John Stockton-wore white shorts probably turned a few heads away. If you don't believe me, just ask de facto fashionista Sharapova, who named Stepanek as one of the worst-dressed athletes when she briefly was given the editorial keys to a 2011 issue of ESPN The Magazine. It didn't help that his doubles partner, Leander Paes, was donning a pretty hideous florescent lime green top. Together, well, let's just say he would not pass the Tommy Hilfiger "American Idol" design test.
10. Juan's the Mon-aco
Many a tournament, especially those with slower conditions, often produces an unexpected floater deep into the draw. It was Juan Monaco's time at Key Biscayne. You'd think that Monaco would be outclassed versus Roddick and Mardy Fish -- and certainly Djokovic, even after a bleak opening set. But his modus operandi -- don't stop, don't ever stop -- drove his opponents crazy. He actually made the aforementioned Americans look, dare we say, old and slow. In the end, Djokovic outplayed the spritely Argentine, but with the clay season just moments away, you had better watch out, 'cause Juan is coming for you.
One day we're doing cartwheels over the return of Andy Roddick. The next, we're left wondering how his incandescent performance against Roger Federer could so swiftly devolve into a crushing defeat to the spritely legs of Juan Monaco.
One day we're abuzz over the return of Serena Williams, the return of her hulking groundies and the sheer power she generates on nearly every shot. The next, we're trying to wrap our collective brain around how the game's most scrutinized retriever, Caroline Wozniacki, could so skillfully render the strong one, well, not so strong.
One day we're lauding the return of Venus Williams, who made an inspired journey to the Sony Ericsson Open quarterfinals, which included three consecutive three-set wins (and four overall). The next, we're asking whether she fell asleep on the court versus Agnieszka Radwanska. Hey, you snooze you lose.
One day we're applauding John Isner's polished all-court game and his inclusion into the game's inner sanctum. The next, we're puzzled by his return to the mere mortals after an early exit here in Key Biscayne.
One day we're finally reconciling that Mardy Fish's sudden ascendance a year ago was a thing of the past. The next day, we're anointing him the best U.S. tennis player -- again -- after becoming the last Yank standing.
Confused? Head spinning? You're not alone. If there's one thing the current state of U.S. tennis has taught us, it's that we know nothing. It's a veritable pogo stick competition. Up and down and all around. Dizzying. The U.S. contingent is riding a high one moment and bottoming out the next.
The tale of American tennis doldrums is nothing new. For the men, it actually dates back about a decade. We know that you know the last time any U.S. male won a Slamaroo was Roddick in 2003. All fine and good. Well, not really. But we're not expecting anyone to scale these major mountains anytime soon. These pockets of promise, though, are a cruel tease. They lift your spirits and give you hope. This, before the inevitable collapse.
Fish, who cracked the top 10 for the first time last year, ended 2011 as the No. 8-ranked player. The age of 30 is an unusual time for someone to string together a career year and finish with a personal-best 43 match wins. He played with the proverbial pep in his step after his ballyhooed weight-loss regimen and earned well-deserved praise. But this season, before reaching the quarterfinals of Miami, he won consecutive matches just once. And let's face it: If Fish is going to build any kind of momentum, it had better start now. Because after Miami, it's on to the clay, which guarantees an allergic reaction from the Americans.
"It's a really tough time looking at the schedule for Americans," Fish said of the clay season. "It's almost impossible. We have to be over there for Madrid and Rome. What do you do? Do you go after this, stay there for seven weeks, or do you come back and then go back over and have a week and a half off?
Roddick played inspired, offensive-minded tennis versus Federer, his first win over one of the big-three behemoths since thwarting Rafael Nadal in Cincinnati two years ago. But he, admittedly, was in no position to go much further.
"When you have to make a quick recovery, it will expose you if you're not in shape," Roddick said after losing to Monaco. "Most people can play a match and it's fine. It's the recovery where it kind of defines you."
There will be more questions regarding the current state of the Americans. Serena, perhaps the biggest anomaly in today's game, always seems to be a prohibited favorite, no matter how sparingly she plays. But it's now been more than a year since she won a Grand Slam, and you have to start speculating whether she's cut out for the grind. Serena still looks imposing on the court and, unlike Venus, she isn't slowed by injuries and other maladies. But Serena's inability to fight through adversity, which was readily apparent against Wozniacki, has to be a problem moving forward. After the loss, Serena said she has to figure out how to play better when she's struggling.
The problem is, she isn't. The slow decline especially came to light at the Australian Open, where Serena showed little interest in a straight-sets smackdown to Ekaterina Makarova. And at this point in her career, if she can't ratchet up her energy and performance at a major, then what?
As for Isner, he probably deserves a mulligan after his run to the Indian Wells final. But if he wants to compete with the best, he has to find ways to avoid the lulls, which have set him back before.
The performances at the Sony Ericsson Open are just another week of vertigo in the ever-morphing state of U.S. tennis. You never know what you're going to get. So tame your excitement and accept the disappointment, but relish the good moments, too. This is American tennis after all -- for better or for worse.
100 memories: Kim Clijsters falls in Paris
70. Dokic reunites with dad
Who saw this coming?
Former Wimbledon semifinalist Jelena Dokic, an often tortured soul, confirmed in September that she reconciled with controversial dad Damir Dokic.
Damir Dokic coached his daughter before an acrimonious split. He recently spent about a year in jail for threatening to blow up the Australian embassy in Belgrade.
"I am in a very positive and confident frame of mind in my life, and I really wanted to do this because I believe it is the right thing to do both for me and for all of my family," Jelena Dokic said. "My father was very receptive, and I believe he has changed greatly."
69. Cancer hits Kleybanova
Every so often, the idyllic tennis world gets gate-crashed. It happened in July.
Russian Alisa Kleybanova revealed -- on her 22nd birthday -- that she was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer.
"This is the toughest time in my life, and I hope it always stays the toughest time in my life," said Kleybanova, a gritty competitor but bubbly character off court. "I'm sure I'll be able to overcome this -- it's just a matter of patience and time."
We wish you well, Alisa.
68. Zvonareva crumbles in Istanbul
It wasn't as bad as her meltdown against Flavia Pennetta at the U.S. Open in 2009, but Vera Zvonareva's 1-6, 6-2, 7-5 loss to Agnieszka Radwanska at the year-end championships was still painful.
Zvonareva's first mistake was letting a tired Radwanska back into the match after cruising in the opening set. Then in the third, she failed to take advantage of three match points on her own serve. Radwanska helped saved the third match point, however, with some unbelievable scrambling.
Instead of tears from Zvonareva, there were painful looking smiles.
67. Ailing Andy
Andy Roddick, after being blessed with good health for most of his career, is now having a hard time staying fit.
As the defending champion in Miami, Roddick encountered breathing issues and moved gingerly in a second-round loss to Pablo Cuevas. A shoulder injury ruled him out of the French Open -- and hampered his Wimbledon prep -- before a problem with his oblique meant he had to skip a portion of the U.S. Open Series.
"It's been, I think, the toughest year I've had," Roddick said in Shanghai. "I feel like I've been starting and stopping a lot."
Despite the lack of fluency, Roddick managed to finish inside the top 15.
66. To Russia with love
Alex Bogomolov Jr. was named the most improved player on the men's tour, climbing more than 130 spots in the rankings. His season got even better when his desired switch from U.S. to Russia in the tennis world became official this month.
Bogomolov, a longtime U.S. resident, is suddenly the Russian No. 1, which means he's a lock to be on the Russian Davis Cup team when it meets Austria in February.
Bogomolov was appreciative of the help the USTA gave him in his formative years but said the opportunity to represent the country of his birth was too great to pass up.
"I'm going to do the best I can for my family," he said. "That's my main priority, my kid, my family."
65. Murray sizzles in Asia
The field might not have been as strong as in years past, as Roger Federer so eagerly pointed out, but Andy Murray winning in Bangkok, Tokyo and Shanghai in consecutive weeks was quite the achievement.
Murray responded in the best possible fashion after yet more disappointment at a Grand Slam (the U.S. Open).
"This is one of the best runs I've had, and I'm playing very well," Murray said.
Minor injuries surfaced thereafter, so he couldn't keep it going.
64. A classic tiebreaker
Novak Djokovic had to deal with not only the elements on a windy day in New York, but an unorthodox, unpredictable opponent in Alexandr Dolgopolov Jr. Their fourth-round clash produced arguably the best tiebreaker of the season.
Dolgopolov began by taking a 4-0 lead, only to see Djokovic win the next five points. The seesawing continued. Djokovic saved four set points and ultimately converted on his sixth attempt to win 16-14. Dolgopolov went down tamely in the next two sets.
"It was an interesting first set," Djokovic said.
The women's tiebreaker of the season also stemmed from a fourth-round match in New York. Maria Kirilenko edged eventual champion Sam Stosur 17-15.
63. Clijsters capitulates
Making her first French Open appearance in five years, this wasn't what Kim Clijsters had in mind.
Clijsters blew a set and 5-2 lead, as well as two match points, in a stunning 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 second-round defeat to tall, shy Dutchwoman Arantxa Rus.
Clijsters had missed the previous two months with an ankle injury, but that was no excuse. The inexperienced Rus was ranked 114th at the time.
"I started doubting a little bit," Clijsters said. "That's definitely the wrong attitude to have, especially for me on clay."
62. Seven in a row for Rafa
When all else fails, Rafael Nadal can count on winning in Monte Carlo.
Nadal, not having to confront Djokovic, made it lucky No. 7 -- in a row -- at the posh Monte Carlo Country Club after toppling good pal David Ferrer 6-4, 7-5 in a punishing final.
"It would have been impossible to imagine a few years ago winning seven titles here," Nadal said. "I'm a lucky guy to have done this by age 24."
When will Nadal lose in Monte Carlo?
61. Tennis players going splittsville
Two longstanding tennis romances involving Eastern Europeans came to an end.
Tomas Berdych and the oh-so-nice Lucie Safarova went their separate ways, with the former now dating a much younger model and the latter linked to a cage fighter.
Kirilenko, a former SI swimsuit model, and Igor Andreev also cut ties. Kirilenko moved on quickly, to Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin.
Ovechkin posted a picture of himself and Kirilenko on Twitter; "Me and my girlfriend Maria....she is my queen!!!!" was the accompanying caption.
At next week's Monte Carlo Masters, the unofficial, and dazzling, clay-court curtain-raiser, the Serb is sure to match Ivan Lendl's 25 straight ATP victories to begin a campaign. He needs simply to win a round. Whether he can pull level with John McEnroe's 39, set in 1984, is the real question.
If Djokovic falls short, he'd happily settle for success at Roland Garros. Never before has a men's pro bagged the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and the French Open in a single calendar year.
Kim Clijsters has outdone Djokovic in winning two straight Grand Slam titles, yet her U.S. road trip was, relatively speaking, disastrous. An ailing shoulder contributed to a pair of early defeats, with the Belgian also worried by any radiation that might have filtered to California in the aftermath of Japan's ravaging earthquake and tsunami.
Clijsters, atypically, brooded.
Here are five burning questions heading into the European clay-court swing:
Can the Djoker outdo Rafa -- again?
It was quite the sight Sunday, Djokovic beating Nadal at his own game. Undone by heat and fitness in the past, and on the biggest of stages, Djokovic this time outlasted the Spanish gladiator.
Nadal was tired, admitting as much afterwards. His serve and forehand didn't click. Djokovic found energy following a shaky start, and the final score didn't reflect his substantial superiority.
But clay is another animal; yes, there's a reason Nadal didn't lose on the sport's slowest surface last year, collecting a sixth straight Monte Carlo title and fifth French Open.
Nadal's heavy forehand, which failed to trouble Djokovic in Miami, becomes a bigger weapon, exploding off clay. While Djokovic moves better than the nine-time Grand Slam champion on hard courts, the same can't be said on dirt. And Djokovic won't get as many free points on serve.
Further, Nadal, as strange as it may seem at the moment, enters this clay-court spell with more momentum than in 2010.
Once Nadal works himself into optimal shape, losing over five sets is unlikely. When Djokovic almost took out Nadal in Madrid two years ago, it was a three-set affair, psychologically a different proposition.
Nadal isn't into revenge. However, you can bet he'd like to send a message to his buddy if they meet in Monte Carlo.
Where does Roger stand?
At this juncture, the thought of anyone but Nadal and Djokovic appearing in the French Open final is unfathomable.
Federer still has little difficulty dispatching the likes of Andy Murray, Robin Soderling, Tomas Berdych and David Ferrer, going a combined 7-1 since Wimbledon. But the gap between the Swiss and the top two is stretching.
Federer, though, probably enters the French Open with as little pressure as ever, or at least since his dominant reign began. Never really playing the sort of aggressive game pundits have wanted on clay, perhaps Paul Annacone can lend his expertise in their first clay-court season together.
And who knows, Nadal and Djokovic could pummel each other, a la 2009, boosting Federer's chances in Paris.
Don't expect a hat trick of finals for Soderling at Roland Garros. Since the last French Open, he's no closer to seriously challenging Nadal, Djokovic and Federer.
Sure, injury and illness explained some of it, but his body language in Indian Wells and Miami wasn't good.
Will Kimmy brighten?
Upon exiting to the reinvigorated Victoria Azarenka in Miami, Clijsters told Belgian journalists she was drained -- physically and mentally. The fighting spirit and motivation were gone.
Would Clijsters recover in time for the Fed Cup semifinal against the Czech Republic on April 16? She was unsure.
Tuesday's announcement on her website ended speculation -- Clijsters was ruled out for a month with right shoulder and wrist injuries.
More and more, it appears this is Clijsters' last full season, and no one would be surprised if she calls it quits altogether at the end of 2011.
In the very short term, spending time at home with hubby and daughter should ease Clijsters' mind and benefit her body.
Even if Clijsters plays a solitary Roland Garros warm-up, she'd have to be the favorite or close to it -- assuming she's 100 percent. Well before winning three U.S. Opens, Clijsters reached a pair of French Open finals.
How will Woz hold up?
Caroline Wozniacki flew to New York after losing to the flamboyant -- off court, that is -- Andrea Petkovic in Miami, barely missing out on a meeting with President Obama. The Slam-less world No. 1 returned to Miami, then zipped off to Charleston to compete in this week's Family Circle Cup.
Why, oh, why did Wozniacki do that?
She, too, said she was exhausted following Key Biscayne. Wozniacki hopes for a better outcome this year than last, as an ankle injury sustained in South Carolina hampered her preparation for the French Open and Wimbledon.
Wozniacki is setting herself up for more physical woe, no matter if she's a tender 20. After a week off, the Dane plays in Germany. It's another week off, then Madrid, Rome and Brussels, leading straight into the French Open.
Hardly the recipe for peaking at a major. Even Rafa plays only four tourneys.
What's the prognosis for the two Andys?
Murray is slumping. Andy Roddick can't get healthy.
The Scot thus needs to garner some momentum leading into the grass-court season, and the U.S. No. 2 (yes, No. 2) wants to get fit in time for Wimbledon, since Roddick's best shot at winning a second major comes in southwest London.
Reaching the second week of the French would be plenty good enough for both.
Murray should have a coach in place by then. He continues to get linked with everyone who's anyone, including Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Darren Cahill (again), Roddick's coach, Larry Stefanki (again), Roger Rasheed and Bob Brett.
SANTIAGO, Chile -- Stop picking on Andy Roddick.
If there was a secondary message that came from this weekend's winning U.S. Davis Cup junket in Santiago, Chile, that would be it.
The first message: The Americans are determined to win the Davis Cup title this year. They left Chile cautiously optimistic that home turf in July's quarterfinal round can help them bypass what's apt to be a powerhouse Spanish team led by none other than Rafael Nadal.
American tennis fans have been largely spoiled during the Open era, always expecting to have Grand Slam champions in their midst. There was Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Jim Courier.
As it has come to pass, that wealth of major titles has not continued in the Roddick era. But we should not be blaming Roddick, who has at least delivered one major -- the 2003 U.S. Open -- to the list.
He has also reached four other Grand Slam finals: Wimbledon 2004, '05, '09 and U.S. Open 2006. He lost all four to Roger Federer, arguably the best player to play the game. There is hardly anyone who wouldn't agree that if there wasn't a Federer, there'd be Wimbledon finery on Roddick's trophy shelf.
If Roddick was a party animal who squandered away his talent on too much fun and games, he'd deserve criticism. But he's a guy with an unwavering work ethic -- no insider would ever accuse him of giving less than 100 percent.
If Roddick pundits look beyond his lack of a bevy of Grand Slam titles, they'd actually find his résumé to be imposing.
It's rare to find a player who ended the year ranked in the top 10 for nine consecutive seasons, but Roddick has done so since 2002.
Nevertheless, when he fell out of the No. 10 ranking for four separate weeks between August and October of last year, he was chided. It marked the first time since the inception of the ATP rankings, which started in 1973, that an American was not residing in the top 10, and someone had to take responsibility.
"I thought it was pretty rude last year when he was given a hard time when he fell out of the top 10 for the first time, that we didn't have an American in there," new U.S. Davis Cup captain Jim Courier said. "He's the guy who saved that record for so long. No one talks about that. Andy's always had the respect of the guys in the locker room, which is the respect that counts, and he's been pretty shortchanged pretty much everywhere else."
Roddick is one of eight American men who have captured at least 30 career titles. He picked up his 30th at the Memphis tournament last month, an amazing feat considering he had the flu while playing the final.
Among active players, only Roddick and Federer have won at least one title for the past 11 years.
He led the U.S. to the Davis Cup title in 2007, which was the first Davis Cup victory for the United States since 1995. Roddick boasts a perfect 12-0 record when given the chance to clinch a Davis Cup tie for the United States.
"It is a gaudy record and just another thing that Andy probably doesn't get enough credit for in his career because of other things people talk about negatively," Courier said. "There's a lot of great things that Andy has achieved and that's [the 12-0 record] right there; that's pressure. He's the No. 1 guy and he gets it done, and it's always against the No. 1 guy from the other team."
After this past weekend, Roddick has a 33-11 record in Davis Cup play, which places him fifth among all Americans who have played Davis Cup. He played in 23 of 24 ties played between 2001 and 2009.
"There's been some good [marks] in my career," Roddick said in Santiago. "Being in the top 10 for around a decade is a good one. Coming up on 600 match wins is a good one. I think those are things that I'm proud of just because, contrary to popular opinion, I've played at a very high level for a very long time."
With the Davis Cup first round over, Roddick now heads off to play back-to-back ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Indian Wells starts later this week.
Indian Wells has not been as friendly to Roddick as he would like, especially considering the extra oomph the high altitude should give to his supersonic serve. Until last year, when he lost to Ivan Ljubicic in the final, his best results in the desert were two semifinal appearances.
He heads into Miami as the defending champion, having beaten Thomas Berdych in last year's final. Roddick owns a pair of Miami titles, having also won the tournament in 2004.
As Roddick heads off to compete in tennis' version of March Madness, here's a suggestion to consider: Instead of seeing the glass as half empty and maligning Roddick for what he hasn't done, why not look at the glass as half full and admire the 28-year-old for what he has achieved.
SANTIAGO, Chile -- It didn't take Jim Courier very long to figure out the hardest part of being the U.S. Davis Cup captain.
"There's nothing that isn't fun, but I think the thing that gives me the most anxiety is not getting in the guys' way," said Courier, who made his debut as captain this past weekend when the U.S. reigned over Chile 4-1 to move into the Davis Cup quarterfinals against Spain.
"We're still getting to know each other in that drama and fire situation. That's the learning curve with me -- to know when to say something and when to shut up. And it's hard for me to shut up."
Courier certainly got the know-when-to-butt out portion of the job quickly. He showed that skill during the Bryan brothers' victory over Chileans Jorge Aguilar and Nicolas Massu. The Bryans were down a break at 5-4 in the third set and needed to break to save the set for a straight-sets victory.
"When they were down a break, on the changeover, I didn't say anything," Courier said. "I could see it in their eyes. It's one of those moments that they've been in that situation before, sitting side by side so many times, and gotten out of those situations. I just let them do their magic. I'm there to support them but not there to get in their way."
In retirement, Courier has become an enthusiastic businessman running InsideOut Sports & Entertainment. But when the opportunity to become the Davis Cup captain was presented last year, he jumped at the chance.
"As a player I always thought that this would certainly be something if I was ever given the opportunity I would want to take advantage of," Courier said. "It's pretty well-documented how passionate I was about Davis Cup as a player. To be alongside these guys and the other American players I hope will participate over the years I will be in this chair is important to me. The things that matter are the majors and competitions like Davis Cup. These guys are going to create memories for themselves, and I'm glad to be here with them."
Almost from the outset, Courier promoted the concept that the 2011 U.S. Davis Cup squad would be a six-man endeavor -- Andy Roddick, Mardy Fish, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Bob and Mike Bryan would all travel to ties, when possible, even though only four guys could play.
For this first-round outing, injury and illness made the decision about who would play easy: Fish was still dealing with a thyroid problem and Querrey had a sore serving shoulder, so both stayed behind.
As the weekend in Santiago unfolded, there was a constant quest to have the players grade Courier's inaugural performance as captain. Courier joked that "They're not allowed to talk about that."
But the four-time Grand Slam champion, who played on the winning U.S. Davis Cup squads in 1992 and 1995, had nothing to worry about at all.
Roddick hadn't played Davis Cup since 2009 and said he missed the "spirit" of the competition, but he was also lured back to the fold by the opportunity to play for Courier.
"He was great," said Roddick, after he clinched the tie, beating Paul Capdeville to give the U.S. an insurmountable 3-1 lead. "You know, when you're with one person [former captain Patrick McEnroe] for 10 years, you might expect a little bit of an awkward transition but that wasn't the case. Jim stepped right in, but he didn't start this week, he started as soon as he got named. He's been the captain for four months.
"It's been a very, very open line of communication. I think he had the right approach in saying we have a six-man team for the year and who plays each individual tie is not so relevant."
Bob Bryan agreed that Courier has proven to be a quick study at captaincy.
"We love playing for Jim," Bob said. "When Patrick stepped down we were all excited to see Jim step in. He's doing a great job so far. He's one of the boys, he's a really smart coach and he has passion for Davis Cup.
"It's fun playing for a guy you idolized growing up."
Interestingly, Roddick was not only impressed by Courier's talent for actual coaching. Most coaches show up on the bench dressed as if they were going to pick up a racket and play.
But not Courier.
"Jim was pretty calm out there," Roddick said. "He had the voice of reason. He had the good dress slacks going. He came out dressed strong. He portrayed a sense of elegance early on, which I thought set the tone."
The plan is to play the quarterfinal tie against Spain on an indoor hard court in July -- Roddick's hometown of Austin, Texas, is the front-runner but Albany, N.Y., and San Antonio are also in the mix as possible venues.
And when they head indoors, don't be surprised to find Courier even more decked out than he was in Santiago. He had asked the USTA if he could dress for success in Santiago -- in a suit, shirt and tie -- and he was told absolutely as long as he wore a suit by Davis Cup sponsor Hugo Boss.
Whatever he wears, Courier proved he's all about business.
Nadal earns high marks for historic 2010
Who was the star of the show in tennis in 2010? Rafael Nadal, without a doubt.
Entering the season under a cloud of uncertainty, Nadal achieved one of the finest years in the history of the sport. He reclaimed the No. 1 ranking and completed his Grand Slam collection at the age of 24. Nadal's main rival, Roger Federer, dipped. Well, that was inevitable given his past.
Nadal leads the way in our grading of the men's elite.
And just a word on the rationale: It's all relative.
Rafael Nadal (A): Nadal had the type of 11 months Federer produced in 2004, 2006 and 2007, winning three majors. He surpassed Fed, though, by claiming three in a row in a single season. After the backhand slice, volley and more aggressive approach from the baseline, his serve was the next part of his game to improve. If he's healthy in 2011, can we discount similar results?
Roger Federer (B): The good news for Federer was his title at the Australian Open, marking an eighth consecutive campaign with a major. The bad news? His semifinal streak at Grand Slams ended in Paris, and, further, he failed to reach the semis at his beloved Wimbledon. He lost four times after holding match points, too. But Federer remains as hungry as ever, and his partnership with Paul Annacone has already produced results, evidenced by Sunday's win over Rafa in the ATP World Tour Finals.
Andy Murray (C+): Another year finished, and another year without a major for Murray. Time isn't exactly running out, but still. When the pressure is off, Murray excels. When it's on, he flops. The latest example came at the year-end championships, when the Scot crumbled against Federer before playing Rafa extremely tough.
Novak Djokovic (C+): Like Murray, Djokovic disappointed. When will the Serb win Slam No. 2? Djokovic went a combined 1-6 against Nadal and Federer, and 7-12 versus top-20 foes, excluding the charged-up atmosphere of the Davis Cup. Beating Federer at the U.S. Open was great, but Djokovic took just one set against the Swiss in three subsequent encounters. Not so great.
Andy Roddick (C): We can't be overly harsh in judging Roddick. He was flying in the spring, almost achieving the Indian Wells-Miami double. But Roddick was never right physically after being struck down my mono during the European clay-court swing. Roddick did well just to qualify for the World Tour Finals.
Robin Soderling (B-): Soderling proved he was no fluke. He goes down in history as the guy who snapped Federer's outrageous semifinal streak. Has the imposing Swede hit his ceiling, however? Soderling was outclassed by Nadal and Federer in their head-to-heads after Roland Garros. According to reports from Sweden, Soderling will cut ties with coach Magnus Norman in the offseason.
Tomas Berdych (B): Berdych started to live up to his potential, first at the French Open. Vitally, he backed it up at Wimbledon. His effortless groundstrokes, when on, overpower most opponents. The tall Czech struggled with heightened expectations post-Wimbledon, yet he ensured a strong conclusion to 2010 by testing Nadal at the year-end championships.
Nikolay Davydenko (C): Davydenko might be haunted for years by that match against Federer at the Australian Open. Crushing Federer, up a set and a break, he collapsed, going AWOL in the next hour. He later broke his wrist, an injury he didn't recover from. Davydenko's ranking has slipped outside the top 20, signaling his first year-end finish outside the top 10 since 2004. Thankfully for him, Davydenko has few points to defend in 2011.
Marin Cilic (C+): Cilic began the season so well, reaching a maiden Grand Slam semifinal in Melbourne and defending his titles at Chennai and Zagreb. He was drawing a few comparisons to Juan Martin del Potro. The towering Croat flopped badly thereafter, though, and his forehand is a real concern. However, given his work ethic and determination, the 22-year-old will get things right.
Juan Martin del Potro (N/A): Del Potro's serious wrist injury wasn't good for tennis. Minus the injury, the lanky Argentine would have posed a serious threat to Nadal and Federer -- more so than Murray and Djokovic. Instead, del Potro was limited to six matches. The wrist might be fine physically, but how long will it take for the 22-year-old to recover mentally? His ranking has dropped to 259th.
LONDON -- The way things unfolded for Novak Djokovic on Wednesday at the year-end championships, you half-expected Andy Roddick to be on the other side of the net. After all, whenever the Serb endures physical wobbles in a big match, Roddick seems to be close at hand.
A "one in a million" problem, as Djokovic put it, with his right contact lens meant the world No. 3 couldn't see out of one eye for most of his straight-sets loss. This time, Rafael Nadal was the opponent.
Roddick and Djokovic meet for the eighth time in Friday's evening session at the ATP World Tour Finals in London, with the American entering the sixth day still in contention despite being 0-2 in Group A. Ah, the joys of round robin. Djokovic won't want to be partially sighted as he tries to return Roddick's 140 mph rockets in the box.
Judging by past history, there could be plenty more drama.
Remember these three matches?
U.S. Open QF, 2008
By this time, Djokovic had developed a reputation for retiring and taking medical timeouts. Earlier in 2008, he quit in a must-win Davis Cup clash against Russia's Nikolay Davydenko and bailed versus Roger Federer at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Djokovic drew the ire of gritty Spaniard Tommy Robredo in the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for taking a timeout and plastering winners all over the court when he looked to be in serious trouble.
Roddick fueled the fire ahead of their quarterfinal with one of the most famous quotes in recent tennis history. Commenting on Djokovic's ailments, he spewed, "A back and a hip? And a cramp? ... bird flu ... anthrax ... SARS ... common cough and cold. He's either quick to call a trainer or he's the most courageous guy of all time."
Djokovic, ticked, got his revenge by beating Roddick in four sets. A crowd favorite in New York a year earlier, thanks largely to those impersonations, Djokovic turned into public enemy No. 1 for criticizing Roddick -- in an on-court interview the crowd heard. Now that wasn't smart.
Australian Open QF, 2009
The grudge match.
The hype was understandably huge, especially since Djokovic was the defending champion in Melbourne.
Djokovic, coming off a late finish in the fourth round, won the first set in temperatures that topped 105 degrees. But the minute he began throwing in drop shots in the second, you knew he was toast. Djokovic remains wary of intense heat, surviving the first round of this year's U.S. Open only because countryman Viktor Troicki choked.
Trailing two sets to one against Roddick, Djokovic called for the trainer and had his pulse taken. When he fell behind 2-1 in the fourth set, it was up to the net to shake hands.
Roddick coped, and even prospered, in the sticky conditions. He lives in Texas and shed 15 pounds in the 2008 offseason as his partnership with Larry Stefanki began.
Djokovic has grown up since.
Dubai SF, 2008
Prior to the war of words, Roddick and Djokovic faced off in the semifinals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
This was an important tournament for Roddick because he had just cut ties with Jimmy Connors and needed a boost in the wake of a third-round loss at the Australian Open.
Appearing unburdened, Roddick upset Nadal in the quarterfinals. Continuing with an aggressive approach from the baseline and chipping in 14 aces, Roddick subsequently prevailed over Djokovic 7-6 (5), 6-3. Roddick capped the week by downing Feliciano Lopez in the final.
Roddick has won four in a row against Djokovic, so he'll like his chances.
LONDON -- Andy Roddick, a popular face in England given his success at Queen's and Wimbledon, wasn't entirely the crowd favorite Monday. That was understandable, since he faced world No. 1 and nine-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
Wednesday afternoon against slumping Czech Tomas Berdych, fans clearly sided with the Nebraska native. Cries of, "Come on, Andy!" reverberated around the expansive O2 Arena in London's East End prior to the first ball being struck at the World Tour Finals.
Unfortunately for Roddick, he couldn't give them a W. In a match that turned around entirely late in the first set, Roddick fell 7-5, 6-3 to slip to 0-2 in Group A. He lost to Berdych for the first time in their past five encounters.
Roddick came out flying against Nadal a couple days ago, pummeling balls from the back of the court, including the backhand, serving and volleying on second serve and running around to hit the forehand off the Spaniard's second serve.
He reverted to the Roddick of old against Berdych, mostly toiling behind the baseline and failing to mix it up. Hard to argue with that, though, taking into account his head-to-head record against the 25-year-old, and it looked like the strategy would pay off since he cruised on serve early and held two set points at 5-4 on the Berdych serve. Berdych, shaky to start the 10th game, saved those points with gutsy play -- digging up a low forehand to force an error, then thumping a deep forehand to set up the ensuing point.
At 5-5, Roddick blew a 40-15 advantage, allowing Berdych back into the game when he double-faulted for 40-30.
Berdych, overmatched and overawed in his opener against Djokovic, suddenly turned into the guy who reached the French Open semifinals and Wimbledon final. His body language changed completely.
His effortless groundstrokes began firing, and he found a way into Roddick's service games. Roddick won 83 percent of points behind his first serve in the first set, with the figure dipping to 53 in the second. Roddick struck three baseline winners overall.
"I started this week nervously, nothing special, but today went better, and I started to play better and better," Berdych told the crowd.
A few points here and there, and Roddick might well be 2-0. Instead, in an extension of the type of season it's been for the 28-year-old, his stay in London looks to be shorter than planned. If Djokovic tops Nadal Wednesday evening in a repeat of their thrilling U.S. Open final, Roddick is officially eliminated.
LONDON -- They're all coming out for the year-end championships.
After scruffy, brawny soccer icon Diego Maradona showed up at London's packed O2 arena, a trio of blondes -- Aussie pop sensation Kylie Minogue, actress January Jones and Brooklyn Decker -- surfaced for Monday's night session in Group A.
Decker, a model trying to make the transition to acting, probably couldn't have been more proud of hubby Andy Roddick, even in defeat. In a true heavyweight slugfest, returning world No. 1 Rafael Nadal overcame the Nebraska native and his 18 aces, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. The pulsating 2-hour, 34-minute encounter brought the tournament to life following three drab, straight-sets affairs.
"For me, it's a very important victory," Nadal, who was unable to win a set at the World Tour Finals in 2009, told the crowd after the match. "Last year [in London] was tough for me. The tournament was fantastic but I didn't have a chance to enjoy it because I played too bad."
Nadal hadn't competed for about five weeks thanks in part to shoulder tendonitis. Coming back against the cream of the crop, instead of a first-round pushover, isn't simple.
He sprayed forehands the first set and a half, highly unusual, and connected on only three of his opening 10 first serves. That was worrying, given the shoulder malaise. Also rare for Nadal, the lefty let frustration get to him, hitting his forehead when he missed a forehand sitter at 1-0 in the second.
"I started a little nervous, without rhythm," Nadal said.
However, let's give Roddick, who was disappointed to miss out last year because of a knee injury, ample credit. Rather than revert to his passive baseline game, he went with the formula that brought him success against Nadal in Miami in April and Dubai two years ago.
Roddick let rip from the back of the court, leaning into backhands, clubbing the forehand and taking cracks at Nadal's second serve. Typically not one of the game's grunters, Roddick turned into a Maria Sharapova at times, going for broke from the baseline.
He routinely served and volleyed -- on second serve. Up 3-1 in the first, Roddick did it on four straight points.
The turning point came midway in the second set. Having broken to lead 2-1, Roddick immediately dropped serve to give Rafa a second chance.
Commendably, Roddick held to love in his ensuing three service games. In the tiebreaker, with Roddick leading 3-2 and holding two serves, he lost the next four points.
It was just a matter of time, five games in this case, before Nadal got the upper hand in the third, breaking with a brilliantly angled backhand pass near the net. Nadal's vintage form was sporadic in this match, although the way he pummeled Roddick into submission at 3-2, deuce, and subsequently connected on a forehand down the line was breathtaking.
"At the end, I think I played much better," Nadal said.
We can only hope Tuesday afternoon, when 16-time Grand Slam champ Roger Federer tangles with home hope Andy Murray, is as good.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Ravi Ubha (top left) is a London-based journalist. He holds a business degree from McGill University and a journalism diploma from Concordia University, both in Montreal, where he formerly covered baseball and hockey. Ubha is a tennis and soccer contributor to ESPN.com, also featuring in other publications, and does play-by-play in tennis.
Kamakshi Tandon (top center) is a freelance writer and tennis junkie who contributes regularly to ESPN. She has also written for Tennis magazine, Reuters and Dow Jones Newswires. Tandon is based in Toronto.
Sandra Harwitt (top right) is a graduate of New York University's School of Journalism and covers tennis for various media outlets. Harwitt has been accepted to pursue a part-time master of science in strategic communications at Columbia University. She is based in South Florida and New York.
Matt Wilansky (bottom left) is the tennis editor for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 1998 after graduating with a B.A. in communication from the University of Hartford.
Tom Tebbutt (bottom center) is the tennis writer for The Globe and Mail in Toronto. He has been covering tennis for more than three decades and is a regular at the Grand Slam tournaments. Tebbutt lives in Toronto but is originally from Quebec.
Greg Garber (bottom right) joined ESPN in 1991 and provides reports for NFL Countdown and SportsCenter. He is also a regular contributor to Outside the Lines and a senior writer for ESPN.com.