[Fumus]

Falling to number 3, losing 1st rnd in DC, two big losses to Hewitt, two injuries....and only two semifinals and a title.

Is it a slump or is just mediocrity?

Basically what I am asking is, where do you think Andy should be?

[Golfnduck]

Hard question to answer. I don't think he's in a slump, he's just not playing to his potential. The injuries suck, but he's in the best shape I've ever seen him in. Hopefully he'll play better during the clay season.

[blosson]

I also think he is playing better than ever ( a bit unlucky with injuries ) but other players have also raised the bar for sure. I bet Andy was not thinking about Ljubo last year...I hope it's a transition phase where he is getting to try new things and will come back stronger during the grass season.

[Deboogle!.]

I picked option 2.

[Fumus]

Originally Posted by Golfnduck

Hard question to answer. I don't think he's in a slump, he's just not playing to his potential. The injuries suck, but he's in the best shape I've ever seen him in. Hopefully he'll play better during the clay season.

btw, that is the cutest avatar ever.

Yea, I agree mostly. He's not playing to his potential but at the same point he's not having the kinda slump that Hewitt, Agassi, or Safin had, ya know dropping out of the top ten, not competing for majors anymore. If it is a slump it's a small one.

[Deboogle!.]

Ryan, did you see what T-Dent said about Andy and this topic? I'll repost it.

Q. Can you assess Andy's game? Did he get too much too soon?

TAYLOR DENT: Everybody has a little slump every so often. This may be Andy's, this may not be Andy's; I don't know. Obviously, Lleyton had his slump a couple years ago. So, you know, it's nothing to worry about. It's nothing to even, you know, nod your head about. He's still 3 or 4 in the world ‑ I don't know what he is right now ‑ but, gosh, that's darn good. He's always competing for titles. Last week he was in the semis of one of the strongest tournaments in the world.

If he's dropped off at all, it's a hair and it will easily come back.

Q. From where you sit (inaudible)?

TAYLOR DENT: I don't know. It's a tough question because the way I look at it is how do you hold serve? In men's tennis, I think that's the biggest thing. How Andy holds serve and 99% of the guys out here, they hit a big first serve or a nice second serve, and they rip a short forehand. You know, either the guy doesn't get it or they're coming in and hooking a volley off like that. That's how Andy is at his best.

So I think that he may be an all‑around player if he learns to come in more, but I think he'd be a worse player for it.

Q. You know him well. If the worst‑case scenario turns out to be true and Federer is just one of those immortals and Andy never again is No. 1 and never again is a guy out there winning more than just an occasional major here and there, is he satisfied with that career?

TAYLOR DENT: I don't ‑‑ geez, I never talk to Andy about that. We don't talk about tennis all that much. But I'd have to say no. I don't think anybody's really satisfied with that. I mean, you want to go out there and you want to win every week; that's what we're here playing for. I mean, although it may not happen now, you're always saying, "Okay, let's plan it out, how am I going to get to that point?"

So like you say, if Andy is dominated by Federer and a couple other guys, then I'd say, yeah, he'd be a little disappointed.

Q. Because he knows what it's like to be No. 1?

TAYLOR DENT: Yeah, he's tasted it. I'm sure if you had him on the couch, he'd say he honestly believes ‑ and everybody else does as well ‑ that he can be and has the potential to be No. 1, winning Slams all the time.

Q. Do you think part of Federer's edge with Andy is how he handles Andy's first ground stroke?

TAYLOR DENT: The matches I've watched those two play is Federer wins an awful lot of baseline points ‑ I mean, an awful lot. Normally when you're playing at this high level, it's like 55/45, 60/40 at worst, but Roger just seems to win a lot. I wouldn't dare to guess a percentage, but it's high.

Q. When you talk about holding serve by hitting that first hard forehand ground stroke...

TAYLOR DENT: Yeah, it just seems like a typical point would be Andy hit a bomb first serve, Federer would float it back deep, Andy would rip the first ball, and then Roger would fight off that one, maybe another one, and then the point kind of starts even and then Roger just ‑‑ I mean, in my opinion, he's got the best forehand in the game. Once he gets hold of a forehand, he's got Andy on the defensive. When you are on the defensive on your own serve, it's not a good sign.

[Fumus]

Yea, I saw that and that's kinda what I started this poll-thread, because I wanted get everyones opinion on this.

With Andy situation right now, I feel like he's a step away from breaking through to compete excellence or crashing out to complete nothingness. It can't stay this way, either Andy will be friggin awesome or he will spiral out...hoping it's the first option.

[Golfnduck]

Originally Posted by Fumus

btw, that is the cutest avatar ever.

Thanks. I think Andy and the little girl are adorable.

[blosson]

Originally Posted by Golfnduck

Thanks. I think Andy and the little girl are adorable.

Isn't she the same girl he holds crying in that infamous dramatic clip from AR.com?

Cutie.

[tangerine_dream]

^^

What Taylor said.

[Deboogle!.]

Originally Posted by blosson

Isn't she the same girl he holds crying in that infamous dramatic clip from AR.com?

Cutie.

No, I don't think so. The clip from Andy's site is a boy (he's wearing a tie!) and I think it's his cousin. This is just a girl at the hospital in Memphis

and yeah, what Taylor said, very well-said I think.

[Golfnduck]

Originally Posted by blosson

Isn't she the same girl he holds crying in that infamous dramatic clip from AR.com?

Cutie.

What clip is that? I've been looking for it.

[blosson]

Originally Posted by Golfnduck

What clip is that? I've been looking for it.

here but Debs says that's a boy.

http://www.andyroddick.com/av_summary.php?audvid_id=159

[Fumus]

I think Taylor made some good points but if he really thought Andy was in a slump he wouldn't say it...lol...yea guys...Andy is sucking big right now...lol..

[Golfnduck]

Thanks for the clip