| Rafter, Roddick Capture ATP Monthly Awards Rafter and Roddick were recognised by the ATP for their outstanding efforts in August. Patrick Rafter has been named as the ATP's Player of the Month for August after reaching four consecutive finals, winning the RCA Championships in Indianapolis and collecting 190 ATP Champions Race 2001 points. U.S. teen sensation Andy Roddick has been named the ATP's Rising Star of the Month after capturing his third title of the year in Washington. Rafter, who reached his second consecutive Wimbledon final before losing a thrilling five-set final to Goran Ivanisevic, advanced to back-to-back finals at the Tennis Masters Series events in Montreal (l. to Pavel) and Cincinnati (l. to Kuerten) before claiming his first title of the year in Indianapolis. The two-time US Open champion began his quest for a third title at Flushing Meadows in fourth position in the ATP Champions Race 2001, and is just 10 points behind Juan Carlos Ferrero in third. "Thank you very much for the award," said Rafter, who has gone 21-3 since the start of Wimbledon going into the US Open. "I'm very, very pleased to have won it." Roddick, who celebrates his 19th birthday today (August 30), also was in contention for the Player of the Month after earning 76 points and rising to 17th position in the ATP Champions Race following his victory at the Legg Mason Classic in Washington. Roddick defeated Sjeng Schalken to win his third title of the year (Atlanta, Houston) and his first on hard courts. "It feels great to win the award," said Roddick. "It means you played some good tennis so I'm definitely thankful to win it." Other candidates for Player of the Month honors were current Race leader and TMS Cincinnati champion Gustavo Kuerten, who earned 150 points, as well as TMS Montreal winner Andrei Pavel and Tommy Haas, the German who defeated Pete Sampras to win the Hamlet Cup in Long Island. Among those in the running for Rising Star of the Month honors included Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic, who earned 42 points during the month and reached the quarterfinals at the TMS Cincinnati, Max Mirnyi who jumped 18 places to 53rd position, Spain�s Alberto Martin and Argentina's Guillermo Canas. The ATP Player of the Month and ATP Rising Star of the Month are announced at the end of each month to recognize players' outstanding accomplishments in the ATP Champions Race 2001. |