Andy Roddick turns 38 - the last of his kind
If you look at Roger Federer or Ivo Karlovic , Andy Roddick could probably still play in the extended world elite in 2020. The American, who turns 38 today, said goodbye to the individual business in 2012.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Aug 30, 2020, 04:46 pm
Comparing Andy Roddick to Yannick Noah is permissible on several levels. Initially, both were considered entertainers during their active time, Noah more on the court, Roddick in press conferences or at award ceremonies. And then both are connected by the fate of two great tennis nations: the French have been waiting for a Grand Slam tournament since Noah's triumph in Roland Garros in 1983. 20 years later Roddick celebrated his first and only major win in Flushing Meadows, the last so far for an American.
It was there, at the US Open, that Roddick played his last singles match in 2012. Once again he reached the round of 16, but lost to Juan Martin del Potro in four sets. Andy Roddick was just 30 years old at the time, and today, Sunday, he is celebrating his 38th birthday. That's one candle less than Roger Federer had to blow out on August 1st of this year. The Swiss, however, plans to continue his outstanding career early next year. Roddick only plays tennis at exhibition matches.
At the maestro, Andy Roddick mostly did his best, winning only three out of 24 games. Most bitterly probably the defeat in the Wimbledon final in 2009, in which Roddick missed a 2-0 set lead with a fairly simple volley error. Federer got the tiebreak in round two and finally won 16:14 in the fifth set.
Roddick had 32 singles titles at the end of his career and has been a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport since 2017. But what has remained is a real treasure trove of quotes, always underpinned with a large portion of self-irony. An example? "I'm the most successful bad player of all time."