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Starting off 2011 Down Under

22K views 193 replies 31 participants last post by  OnyxRose 
#1 ·
Well it's that time again. Andy's in Brisbane practicing and says it's the first time since last May that he's felt 100% healthy...

 
#132 ·
oy, night match tomorrow :eek:
 
#136 ·
you know it's dire when pmac is so harsh and says it's a 50-50 match "at best" for Andy.
 
#138 ·
Or maybe even he realizes the situation at this point :help: I think they'll always be friends, I can't imagine Pmac would start criticizing him b/c of that...
 
#140 ·
hey you! how's it goign?
 
#143 ·
The McEnroe brothers have been crapping on Andy for some time. Let's not forget that at the US Open, JMac predicted that there would be three Americans in the top ten at the end of the year and Andy would not be one of them.

I think PMac should be more worried that when Andy retires, the networks will salivate at the chance of dumping middling commentators like PMac for some one with Andy's natural charisma.

[I guess that it is never to early in the a.m. to be b****y]
 
#145 ·
Well, Andy Roddick make a statment last year. He said that he is going to play as long he feels he has a chance to win big tournaments. And as a fan, I was very proud of this statement.

Well, in the last three slams, without RG, he has not reached QFs. And the last time he was in SF was Wimbledon 2009. Too many loses like this. I see absolutely no chance for him to at least go deep in these tournaments. I really hope he thinks seriously about this. I mean, if he can't change anything, why bother playing. He has great career, has played enough, has nothing to proove. As a fan, it is painful to see him like that. I mean, Andy is losing to everybody. I am not a great tennis coach, not even close, but something has to be changed in his game. Otherwise, by the end of the year, he will be outside top 10 for sure, if not top 15.

He is slowly becoming like Hewitt or Safin. As a fan, I really hope that something will change. Otherwise, I hope this is his final year.
 
#166 ·
I agree. He never really believed in working to get to the top. He became very shallow outside of tennis, so tennis is nothing.
He's buying a mansion. It's obvious where his sense of security & passion are. He knows it's too late to train his mind & body again because
- no one in his family bothered to tell him to change.
The Roddicks enjoyed the money, Davis Cup with the useless, 2-faced bitch idiot Pat McEnroe....and the charity events were great ways to escape tennis. Punishment & humiliation are nothing to him; he was taught that bullshit.

- he was self-abusive & constantly embarrassing himself in public with his
'I don't play top 4 tennis' nonsense.
He, as a result, choked in big matches. He always gave the 'Federer is genius excuse'.
 
#146 ·
Andy Roddick 23.01.11
Sunday, 23 January, 2011

Q. Was there much you could do out there with him playing like that?

ANDY RODDICK: Could have served better. I didn't serve that well tonight. But he played great. He played really well. He played aggressive, and, yeah, he outplayed me tonight.

Q. Did you see the stats? He got on top of you pretty well winners to winners. You only had a couple breakpoints there. Talk about your overall feeling of the match. It was clear you were trying to fight to get back in, but it didn't seem like you could dominate many of the points.

ANDY RODDICK: Was that a question or a lot of statements back‑to‑back?

Q. Talk about the match in general. He hit a lot more winners than you, and I know it's important for you to dictate some of those points if you're going to beat a guy like that.

ANDY RODDICK: That was a statement again. Yeah, I mean, he outplayed me. He handled his balls getting to the court better than mine. He was working the lines really well. He was seeing it big tonight, and he hit it well.

Q. He's got Roger in the next round. Do you see him as a threat in that match the way he's playing?

ANDY RODDICK: Definite threat.

Q. Well, how did you see the match unfolding?

ANDY RODDICK: Obviously I would pick Roger. I think Stan is playing well, though. You know, it will be interesting. I think Roger is going to get into his second serve games a little bit more than I did tonight. I didn't have that many looks. But who knows? He's playing well, so we'll see.

Q. Last changeover you were in the chair shaking your head. What are you thinking at that time?

ANDY RODDICK: Matt touched on that. I was frustrated. Couldn't get the rallies to go my way. I was trying to stand up in the court and, you know, I just felt when I adjusted my positioning up in the court he was opening up the lines and making it a shorter line if that makes sense.
I didn't have the ability to run back. Conditions were colder, so slice wasn't really working. I wasn't able to get the ball to jump much, so a lot of the shots he hit were in his pocket and I was having a hard time getting it out of that zone.

Q. What in his game has improved since you played him in the Davis Cup match?

ANDY RODDICK: Well, I mean, it's completely different conditions: Indoors on a fast court and out here, cold and slow. That's probably the biggest difference between the two. He's confident now. It's a confidence game. He opened up the year with a win and, you know, he's kind of gone with it and been playing ‑‑ the court seems real big to him right now.

Q. There will be a lot said or written about the state of American tennis. What's your take on the situation?

ANDY RODDICK: Well, you said it there, didn't you?

Q. I want to know. Do you think American tennis can, come the next major, be contenders there?

ANDY RODDICK: At the French Open?

Q. French Open, Wimbledon, US Open?

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, obviously I'm not going to sit here and ‑‑ you already have your story written, so it doesn't matter what I say here. You know, I mean, I ‑‑ obviously wasn't the showing that we wanted, you know, but I'm doing what I can.

Q. Do you get tired of carrying the weight? You're usually the last guy standing every slam, and that's been five, maybe six years of that now.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, it's tough. I remember last summer when I was catching all the heat for not having an American guy in the top 10 for the first time in 15 years. Didn't really make sense to me that I was the one taking heat when I was the only guy that had been there for the last six years. I didn't know how I was catching it for that one. If I hadn't been there, it would have been for the last whatever it was. So it's a responsibility that has great benefits, and it's hard sometimes as well. You know, the benefits for me have far outweighed the kind of downside of it. So I wouldn't change it. But obviously I ‑‑ for many reasons, you know, I would love to have guys there with me all the time.

Q. What do you take out of this slam? Will you go back and give it some deep reflection or just a couple things you want to tweak and change?

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I don't think I would be fair answering that question before I talk with Larry and we discussed it. I'm sure he has his thoughts; I certainly have mine I'm glad I finished healthy. First tournament I've done that for a long time. But, you know, there's certainly some work to be done. I got to figure out in kind of slower conditions how I can impose myself on some of those guys.

Q. I guess to state the obvious, not having Serena around is kind of a big loss for U.S. tennis.

ANDY RODDICK: Not having the best player in the world at a major would be a, yeah, would be tough for any country. Obviously we want her healthy as much as possible. You know, she's instantly the best player in the game when she comes back. Hopefully that will be soon.

Q. What do you think is Stan's biggest weapon or what Roger has to look for?

ANDY RODDICK: He knows what to look for. I'm sure they know each other well. When Stan's on, he's able to hit a big ball. It's almost better when the conditions are slower. His swings are big, but he has time to time them and switch directions. You know, so it'll be interesting to see how Roger counters that. Roger is better playing forward than I normally am, also. So he'll be able to impose himself on Stan a little bit more probably.

Q. You going to relax and watch the NFL playoffs tomorrow?

ANDY RODDICK: I'm going to try and find a flight tomorrow morning.
 
#147 ·
I just hate that he keeps proving the naysayers right. Stan totally outplayed him today, Roger for sure better watch out, since he has not been all that spectacular.

The Wimbledon final has certainly had lasting effects there is no doubt about it. To completly retool your game, make it to the final of the tournament you want the most and lose in the most gut wrenching fashion, has to have some severe effects. The calls to retire are bogus, he's still ranked in the top 10 and has been for nine years, he has to be doing something right and I don't think he's ready to give it up yet and why should he? Does he need to do some serious soul searching? Absolutely.
 
#148 ·
I wonder something. Why anybody in the pressconference ask him why he did not want to play?

The thing I've always admired about Roddick is that he always gives 100%. Yes, somethimes the oponents are better, but he leaves everything on the court. Fights untill the end. I believe it is not only me to admire this.

You can't tell me he fought in this match. He didn't care. He did not want to play. He had opportunities and he did not even try. Maybe he has some personal problems, we don't knows. If Andy had given 100%, if he had fought, there is no way he loses, at least not like that. I really hope this has nothing to do with tenns. Because if he don't have motivation anymore, there is no sense to continue.
 
#149 ·
Do you really believe what you are saying ? Andy did not want to play.....silly. He was outplayed, plain and simple. Andy said it himself in his interview.It is just like when he wins, the other guy has no answer. When other players lose, they do not get shit like that and they are not asked to retire. Andy is still in the top #10 and he is the one who will decide if he retires or not.Stupid fans.
 
#150 ·
I agree that in the third set except for the last few games it really looked like he stopped trying/caring. He was outplayed yes, there's no doubt about that but he has the ability to outplay someone like Wawrinka, too. Sadly there's something in his head that stops him from playing aggressive tennis. He's capable of beating even this Wawa in straights if he's shortening the points and IS NOT PLAYING TO HIS DEADLY BACKHAND. But he didn't do that. Yes, he rushed to the net again and again but he should know that his/this opponent can pass him any time so his volleys can't be half-assed volleys...but most of them were. And you really think that every time Andy wins the other guy has no answer? Really? Like Haase didn't beat himself at all, right? (Obviously Andy easily won the 3rd and 4th sets after his opponent collapsed mentally.) Or all the guys whom he beat in the past few years by being lucky? (I'm not saying all of his matches were decided by luck but you seriously cannot believe that every time he wins he outplays his opponent they way Wawa did today). Oh and don't worry, the other players get shit like that, too and they are sometimes asked to retire even by their fans. I have friends who have their own favorite players and get angry like that sometimes. (they are probably bad fans, too) Especially after an embarassing loss like Andy's today. In my opinion that doesn't mean someone isn't a fan anymore, it's just the frustration talking. Knowing what he can do and seeing what he is doing on the court frustrates most of us. Looking at his performance today, in this mental state and with this game plan I don't know how you can see him beating the top guys and as far as I know that is required to do if you want to win something big. So I think even faithful fans have the right to lose hope sometimes.

And please stop calling people stupid for having an opinion. I'm sure there are people who don't agree with everything you say here and still don't call you stupid. Thanks.
 
#151 ·
He does not have a good game plan anymore. Same as last year it seems to me. He has to get a better ratio of aggression to defense and figure out better when and where to change his style up depending on who he is playing. Shame really. I don't think he wants or can change it at the moment. Does not bode well for the rest of the year.
 
#152 ·
many other players do receive criticism along with heated, flippant insults/statements when they lose (and who they lose to) -- whether it's more or less justifiable compared to x or y player, who knows, but it does happen and on a frequent basis at that.

personally, i like it when fans are able to be critical and objective, even to those they like and don't like. at times it may be harsh and not what someone wants to hear (even themselves), but i don't think there's anything wrong with having more realistic expectations. and in that same vein, i don't think it's bad to have an optimistic one, either. it's nice to have a healthy balance and not delve too wildly into either extreme seriously.
 
#153 ·
Besides a big :bowdown: for Kate, the only thing I really have to say is that I'm very glad I didn't see one iota of the match.

Also, if we didn't think andy was capable, we wouldn't care so much. It's tough love.
 
#154 ·
I watched the entire match. I did not get the "don't care" feeling from Andy's play. Having watched enough Blake or Querrey matches, the "don't care" feeling is normally painfully obvious.

In this match, Andy just seemed flummoxed by Stan's effectiveness. I felt that he was trying to get it deeper but the conditions were slowing his shots, which in turn gave Stan the opportunity to hit a better shot. In the heat of the day, this match would have been different.

I was pleased that Andy called out the press about blaming him alone for lack of American presence in the top 10 when he has been the main standard-bearer since Andre retired. Good on him!
 
#155 ·
In the heat of the day, this match would have been different.
but why? The conditions were the same for Stan, but he was able to hit umpteen winners. as andy said, he needs to find a way to be effective in any condition. It's still a HC, where he used to feel comfortable no matter what. He's done well in Miami many times over, which often puts him on at night in slow, humid conditions on a very similar kind of court. I don't get it. now he's using conditions as an excuse for his pushing style of play. Maybe Stan would've won the match no matter what, but Andy seriously needs to re-examine the way he's playing. With IW and miami coming up, he has almost all of his points to defend. Something's gotta happen, and fast.
 
#159 ·
I think it's easy to mistake a resigned appearance to one of not caring. it sounds to me (again havent seen it and not pretending i did) that he was pretty early on resigned to the fact that he couldn't win. Doesn't mean he didnt care or try his best. i think I can speak for most of us that we would be completely done with him if he didn't care. who would knowingly waste their time supporting an athlete they didn't think cared? It's funny, I first started to like Andy because of his game, back in 2003 when he fearlessly went for every shot. Now I can't really stand his game at all but I keep supporting him because of who he is as a person and that's why I can't give up no matter how much his play frustrates me.

Heather, who out there is better than larry? he's had some of the best possible coaches in the game. The coach can't go out there and play for him. We know from things Larry has said that he has a good, aggressive mentality and that's how he wants andy to play. A new coach wouldn't be able to make Andy play any better. No other coach has. Andy's stubborn and I don't think a new coach will fix that.
 
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