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2009 News/Schedule Thread

17K views 137 replies 24 participants last post by  tangytennis 
#1 ·
Time to start this I guess. We all know about the new coach and the :crazy: schedule but let's get it in a thread. He'll start at the $$$$$$$AbuDhabi$$$$$$$ exhibition Jan 1-3 and then with all those guys to Doha the following week. Maybe he will cut down on the optionals throughout the year..... then again that'd be the smart thing to do, right? :eek:
 
#2 ·
Yeah Andy is getting older and balder, so he should concentrate only on GS and AMS. :)
 
#11 ·
:worship: :)retard:)

so it looks like Andy will really play an exho in Chile in April against Rios

http://deportes.tvn.cl/detalle.aspx?idc=268096&ids=14

this is the babel fish translation of the article:

Exhibition Titanes Marcelo Rios will be the rival of Andy Roddick in duel of the 7 of April. Marcelo Rios is in favor of these days led subjects like the birth of its new son and the development of its companies. Of tennis, little and nothing, except for its practices in the club Providence. That lethargy, nevertheless, will not be eternal, because the 7 of April of 2009 will have to the front rival assets, top ten and with new determination for the season that comes. One is Andy Roddick, American number of the eight world and owner of the most powerful serve of history. Why " Chino" and nonFernando González? The producer of the duel, Piero Zoffoli, of One Fashion Manegement, responds: " To Marcelo they want all it to see and many tennis players, even, have said that they would pay to see it in action. A success against Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras was everything (it announced yesterday that seniors in Wimbledon will play the category) ". Not only that, since there are two facts that ruined the duel between González and Roddick: the first national racket will be to that date playing in the circuit and, in addition, the option was not seen with good eyes face the American, because it is new pupilo of now the ex- technician of the one of the Queen, Larry Stefanki, which could generate something of " morbo". The relations between both players, in any case, are very good. " A-Rod" it will have one loaded agenda the day of the confrontation, that will count on a clinic for minors, a press conference, reunón with auspiciadores and the visit to a foundation. And its passage by to Chile will fulfill it accompanied by the model Brooklyn Decker, with that will marry the week following to the duel. The place of the exhibition not yet is defined, although it went ahead that it will gamble in field of cement and before 12 thousand people. Probable scene? The Movistar Sand, in the OHiggins Park. " Chino" it does not have a very good memory of the best North American player of last the six years. Twice faced that it (the both in 2001) lost: in the round of 64 in the Masters Series of Miami and the quarters of end in Washington. The serve of Roddick, by the others, generates great attention, considering that is the owner of the first more powerful service of history, with 249 kilometers per hour, the one that obtained in the middle of 2004.
 
#12 ·
I don't even know where to start, so I won't even bother. But glad to know that he's shaping his whole schedule around these cash cow exhibitions in the nether regions of the world. He never ever EVER has a right to complain about the schedule again, if he really goes to Chile in April, if it's really a week before his wedding (which would make his wedding during Monte Carlo :rolls: ), ever ever ever again.
 
#14 ·
So Andy will start the new year on Jan 1 against davydenko, winner to play Rafa at this stupid $$$$$$exho$$$$$$$$

http://www.thenational.ae/article/20081211/SPORT/338250012/-1/OPINION

Nadal and Federer kept apart in draw

Graham Caygill

* Last Updated: December 11. 2008 8:30PM UAE / December 11. 2008 4:30PM GMT

The schedule for the inaugural Capitala World Tennis Championship has been announced and has thrown up some tantalising clashes.

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Nikolay Davydenko, Andy Roddick and James Blake make up the line-up for tournament which runs from Jan 1-3 at the Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex at Zayed Sports City.

The action on New Year’s Day will see former US Open champion Andy Roddick take on the world No 5 Nikolay Davydenko in the opening match, which will start at 3pm.

That will be followed straight afterwards by Britain’s Andy Murray, who will be looking to build on a strong 2008 that saw him reach the US Open final and also triumph in three Masters events, as he takes on the American player James Blake.

The Jan 2 itinerary will comprise the semi-finals. The world No 2 and winner of 13 grand slams Roger Federer will compete against the victor of the Murray and Blake meeting in a clash that will begin at 3pm.

In the second semi-final, the world No 1 Rafael Nadal, who won the French Open and Wimbledon this year, will make his debut as he faces the winner of the clash between Roddick and Davydenko.

The winning semi-finalists will then compete on Jan 3 in the final, with the start time for that game being 5pm.

Tickets for all three days of the event are on sale at www.boxofficeme.com and are proving popular, much to the delight of tournament organisers.

“We are expecting a series of exhilarating matches,” said Peter Wilding, deputy chief executive of Capitala.

“Every seat at the ATP standard Abu Dhabi International Tennis Complex offers fantastic views so it’s not surprising that tickets are selling fast.

“This event is a unique opportunity to watch some of the world’s best tennis players compete in every match which is guaranteed to keep everyone enthralled from start to finish.”
 
#16 ·
So Andy's a buy in 2009. Or maybe they meant bye?

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3759626&name=tennis
Forecasting the market for 2009

Andy Roddick: Buy
You might not want to pick Roddick as a long-term investment, especially since his current rank (No. 8) seems about right during these times of rising young talent. (It's tough to imagine Roddick edging out any member of the top four, barring injuries.) But in the short term, Roddick is due for some big gains. He has a new coach -- and an excellent one at that -- in Larry Stefanki. Coaching changes tend to energize Roddick, as we've seen from his runs following switches to Brad Gilbert and then Jimmy Connors. He also stands to gain a lot of points at the Australian Open, where he lost in the third round last year. He should flourish through the end of the U.S. hard-court swing in California and Miami.
 

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#17 ·
http://www.sindhtoday.net/south-asia/45486.htm
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A highly motivated Somdev Devvarman, after a three-week training stint with American world no. 8 Andy Roddick, said he will be focussing on professional tennis more next year.
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The 23-year-old couldn’t stop raving about his training with Roddick at Texas, Austin where he stayed at the American’s house and was also tutored by his coach Larry Stefanki and fitness trainer Doug Preen. Somdev feels he has improved as a player after his stint with Roddick.

‘ We were initially supposed to work for ten days. But the first week went so well that we decided to extend it to three weeks. I was also recovering from an injury and having Andy’s coach and trainer around really helped. I got best of the facilities and my injury was gone in a flash, ‘ said Somdev who had trained with Roddick before in Washinton D.C. in August.

‘The focus was to improve small niggles. Like I was told that my feet are my biggest strength and how I can use them to bring more aggression to my game. We worked on my court position , decision making ability during the match and of course the serve.

‘I tried to learn his weapons- whether it was his big serve, his forehand or his athleticism. That is why he is a top ten player in the world, ‘ he said.
---------------
 
#18 · (Edited)
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/columns/story?columnist=harwitt_sandra&id=3811213

Roddick's latest mentor the answer?

There was a surprisingly large group of art aficionados and sports fans crowding into the Wentworth Gallery at the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton, Fla., last month when Andy Roddick and his fiancée, model Brooklyn Decker, snuck in the back door. Roddick was in his former hometown -- he remains an occasional Boca resident -- to host his annual charity event and had hooked up with renowned artist Charles Fazzino to help his charitable efforts. Fazzino, a New York resident and frequent tennis spectator at the U.S. Open, created one of his famed three-dimensional works of art, titled "Match Point Andy Roddick," to be auctioned off during the charity weekend, and Roddick was at the gallery to unveil the painting.

"I've been watching Andy play at the U.S. Open for many years, and I thought it would be a good centerpiece between my artwork and his foundation, and so we got together and I created this to help them raise a lot of money," said Fazzino, explaining why he donated the artwork, which raised $17,000 at auction. "It took a few months to work on. The foundation sent me pictures and I got some off the Internet. I just wanted to make it complimentary, and I think his fans are going to love the piece."

The artwork is a collage of Roddick's career to date, and Roddick enthusiastically examined how Fazzino presented his subject's best career achievements.

"It's pretty weird," Roddick said. "It's kind of like a microcosm of my career. Honestly, I'm looking at it and I've forgotten about half of [my career], so looking back on it is kind of fun to see it all encompassed in a piece of art."

Before Roddick and Decker headed out for the evening, the 2003 U.S. Open champ visited with fans, then spent some time talking with ESPN.com.

The buzz around Roddick is the pairing with his new coach, Larry Stefanki. For Roddick, this is his latest coach in a series of recent mentors. But the overarching question is whether this combination can take Roddick to the next level.

Stefanki, who was still mentoring Chilean Fernando Gonzalez when Roddick showed interest, is confident he can assist the former No. 1 in becoming a more effective opponent against the elite guys -- Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. And Stefanki strongly believes their partnership can deliver Roddick to at least one more Grand Slam victory.

The accomplished Stefanki's sterling reputation comes from his previous work with other top-10 players: John McEnroe, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Marcelo Rios and Tim Henman, in addition to Gonzalez.

"It was a big decision for me to leave Fernando, but I hadn't coached an American guy since John [McEnroe]," Stefanki said. "I'm almost 52, and I wanted to coach another American. And when I stop working with Andy -- which I hope will be in three, four years -- I plan on his being my last traveling coaching job. I want to move on to help with U.S. junior development. I'm not sure our young juniors have been getting the right advice, although I think -- with Jose Higueras now working with the USTA -- things will change."

For his part, Roddick seemed to give careful thought to picking Stefanki for the job. Roddick pointed out that his personal respect for Gonzalez was a factor, but Roddick also knew that Stefanki's contractual agreement with the Chilean was, at least technically speaking, only through March.

In the end, Roddick was convinced that Stefanki is the right person at the right time.

"There were a couple of things that were very appealing about him, one being the caliber of players he's worked with," Roddick said. "More importantly, the different styles he's worked with. He hasn't gotten pigeonholed into coaching one specific type of player. He's gone from working with Rios to Mac to Henman to Gonzalez to whomever, and I thought that was good.

"And also, he's dealt with a number of different personalities, and I think that's a good thing as well. He's passionate about the game, and I believe we both believe in hard work, so I'm excited."

Roddick's last tutor, the iconic Jimmy Connors, was the most prominent name among Roddick's impressive list of previous coaches -- Tarik Benhabiles, Brad Gilbert, Dean Goldfine and Roddick's brother John. But what Connors brought to the table -- an infectious enthusiasm for the game -- wasn't really what committed 26-year-old Roddick required.

"Andy is very self-motivated," Stefanki said after their first week of practice at Roddick's home base in Austin, Texas. "I was very impressed with his work ethic and determination. I've never seen a guy who's been on tour as long as he has with that much motivation."

Stefanki's approach to coaching should align well with Roddick's goal of finding the correct tactics for success. Stefanki will focus on making sure Roddick is prepared to challenge the best players effectively on the court.

Here's the lowdown: A guy who held serve 91 percent of the time in 2008 shouldn't have a puny winning break-point average of 35 percent for the year. Roddick must become comfortable in taking more risks with his return game as well as in approaching the net more often because he's unlikely to outpummel guys who are better equipped for long battles from the baseline.

"The top five players know how to exploit weaknesses in other players, and none of them have glaring weaknesses," Stefanki said. "Andy needs to learn how to create his opportunities. You have to decide the way you want to play, and for Andy I believe that has to be an attitude that, on his first shot on the ball, 'I'm going to attack.' Although I will say he has surprisingly good groundstrokes."

Despite winning three titles in 2008, Roddick admits he had a tough year, reaching only one Grand Slam quarterfinal, at the U.S. Open. And the end of his season came abruptly when an ankle injury forced him to withdraw midway through the year-end Tennis Masters Cup, a decision he based on looking ahead to 2009 and the first major, which starts Jan. 19 in Australia.

"I've really gotten a jump start on next year, and I'm excited to be prepared," Roddick said. "From May on, I just felt like I was playing catch-up and just going from the training table straight onto the court. Last year we had Davis Cup late, so it was hard to prepare. I'm looking forward to being ready and playing to my best level."

---

Andy Roddick of United States signs autographs during the Exxon Mobil Qatar Open Tennis on January 6, 2009 in Doha, Qatar.
 

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#20 · (Edited)
:D

No. 8-ranked Roddick returning to Indy Tennis Championships
By Mark Ambrogi
Posted: January 8, 2009

After a one-year absence, Andy Roddick will return to the play in the Indianapolis Tennis Championships in July.

Roddick, who captured Indianapolis titles in 2003 and 2004, is currently ranked No. 8 on the ATP World Tour.

“He’s a personality that is bigger than the sport,” tournament director Kevin Martin said. “People enjoy watching him and we enjoy the fact hat we have him.”

Martin said the tournament has been working hard on getting Roddick’s commitment because he is such a strong box office draw.

“The opportunity to win a third title and join Pete (Sampras) as the only three-time (Indianapolis hardcourt) champion would be so cool,” Roddick said in a statement.

Sam Querrey, ranked No. 36, previously committed to playing in the July 20-26 tournament at the Indianapolis Tennis Center.

Defending champion Gilles Simon has not yet committed.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20090108/SPORTS/90108040/1004/sports


Roddick commits to Indy tournament
Last Edited: Thursday, 08 Jan 2009, 3:35 PM EST
Created On: Thursday, 08 Jan 2009, 3:21 PM EST


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Andy Roddick has committed to play in the 2009 Indianapolis Tennis Championship Tournament.

Roddick, the No. 8 player in the world will attempt to capture his third championship title. Roddick won the tournament in 2003 and 2004.

"We are thrilled to have Andy return to Indianapolis and give fans a chance to see another year of world-class competitive tennis close to home," said Kevin Martin, Indianapolis Tennis Championships presented by Lilly Tournament Director.

The 26-year-old has been a crowd favorite since his first appearance in Indy when he captured the 2003 crown. With a championship in 2009, he could join tennis great Pete Sampras as the only other three-time Indianapolis Tennis Championships champion. Sampras won in 1991, 1992 and 1996.

"I am looking forward to returning to Indianapolis in 2009. I have great memories over the years of playing in Indy. There is a tremendous tradition of tennis in the city and overwhelming fan support. The opportunity to win a third title and join Pete as the only three time champion would be so cool," said Andy.

The Indianapolis Tennis Championships Presented by Lilly is a world-class ATP Tour event held annually as part of the Olympus U.S. Open Series. The event traces its roots back to 1920 and has hosted such notable players as Pete Sampras, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, and Roddick.

The 2009 event will be held July 18-26 at the Indianapolis Tennis Center on the campus of IUPUI. Season tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by calling 800-622-LOVE. For more information, visit www.tennisindy.com .

http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/sports/Roddick_committs_to_Indy_tournament
 
#21 ·
American Andy Roddick, winner of the past three Classic titles, opted not to play this time, but he is expected to also make a one-off appearance at Kooyong.

And Stubs is already arranging a hit for German Tommy Haas as a bonus for Kooyong fans this week.

"Haas will definitely have a match and I'm waiting on responses from Nadal and Roddick in relation to matches outside the format later in the week," he said.

"In the case of Roddick, ever since he made it known to me that he was going (to play) in the Middle East, he always had a reservation on what he would be doing this week, how he pulled up after Doha and how many matches he had and we would talk about something before the Open down here."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24904914-3162,00.html
 
#24 ·
He is missing it. Sometimes players will do a one-off there to get another match. But andy's (obviously:bs: ) reason for not wanting to play there was not wanting to play too many matches..... if he played a one-off, that'd make 7 :rolls:
 
#25 ·
:eek:

Slimmer Roddick weighs his chances

Monday 12 January 2009
By Jerry Magee


Coming soon to tennis courts everywhere: a trimmer Andy Roddick, with his forehand stance less wide, his steps shorter and his balance improved.

"I really think he can win a Slam,” said Larry Stefanki.

Stefanki is responsible for Roddick’s changed profile. For 30 years, he has coached some of the leading figures in the men’s game, including John McEnroe, Marcelo Rios and, most recently, Fernando Gonzalez, and now, at Roddick’s bidding, he has begun counseling the ranking American.

Stefanki’s first judgment: that Roddick was too big through a 2008 season when he failed to capture a Slam, had his ranking drop from No. 6 to No.8 and was outplayed by, among others, Robin Soderling, Gael Monfils, Tomas Berdych, Viktor Troicki, Juan Martin del Potro, Marin Cilic, and Janko Tipsarevic, all ranked below him.

According to Stefanki, Roddick at his suggestion had lost 13 pounds before Stefanki left his home in the San Diego County community of Olivenhain to join Roddick for the events preceding the Australian Open.

“He has said to me, ‘I haven’t been at 190-195 pounds in five years,’ “ Stefanki said, “and I said, ‘And what happened then?’ “

It was in 2003 that Roddick achieved his only Grand Slam triumph in the US Open.

Stefanki began his association with Gonzalez in May 2006 by also suggesting that the player lose weight. “I think it helped him immensely in the beginning, but the problem with Fernando was getting him to sustain,” Stefanki said.

Stefanki said he still was under contract to Gonzalez when Roddick contacted him following the ATP Tour’s season-ending championships in Shanghai to inquire if he might be available. “I felt I had gone the distance with Fernando,” said Stefanki.

In his arrangement with the volatile Chilean, Stefanki said there was a clause that permitted either party to break off the agreement. Stefanki said he had three preliminary conversations with Roddick, finally advising him, “Don’t call me unless you want me to coach you.”

Roddick did call. By Stefanki’s account, he wanted to begin working with Stefanki immediately following the conclusion of the competition in Shanghai.

“He is doing everything he can; he works extremely hard,” Stefanki said. “In that area, he is in the Jim Courier class.”

Stefanki has made some determinations concerning what has been at the source of Roddick’s trials. One is that the American has lost a good deal of the zip with his forehand because his feet have been too widely spaced.

“Tennis is a ‘landed’ game," explained Stefanki. "You have to react primarily with your feet. Roger Federer is best at that."

Stefanki said he further is desirous of Roddick taking smaller steps on the court. "He has not been comfortable coming forward because he has been off balance," the coach said. He noted that Roddick's head is too far forward when he goes toward the net. He is not approaching the net as much as stumbling toward it.

Roddick also must focus on returning serve more consistently, in Stefanki's thinking. His percentage in this phase dropped off to 29 per cent a year ago after once standing at 48 percent. To Stefanki, returning so poorly has taken away some of the advantages relating to Roddick holding his own serve 91 percent of the time.

At home in San Diego County, Stefanki has three children. He has traveled many miles in tennis. "I really don't want to do this for the rest of my life," he said. "This is my last gig, so to speak."

Roddick's association with Stefanki represents a possible new start for him. An old coach and a player in the midlife of his time in tennis. Ready, play.

http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/news/articles/2009-01-12/200901111231642539946.html?promo=rss
 

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#26 ·
*sigh* every time we see all these "right" things it makes it harder and harder to believe something will actually change :awww:
 
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