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| One To Watch: Andy Roddick Many wonder whether he will replace Agassi and Sampras as the next American tennis great. It's been a busy few months for Andy Roddick, the U.S. teenager who has shot to fame on both sides of the Atlantic as he rockets up the ATP Champions Race and is putting the record books under serious pressure. While the fans and media are eager to see if the 18-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska can become the next American hero, Roddick has shown maturity beyond his years in dealing with his new-found fame. With back-to-back titles this year in his first clay court events in Atlanta and Houston, Roddick won his first ATP title in only his 10th tournament-quicker than Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier. Having also made his Davis Cup debut against Switzerland earlier this year, it's no wonder that the American media have been scrambling to get in on the action. After shooting to fame as the first American in eight years to become the World Junior No. 1 in 2000, Roddick has appeared in features on CNN World Sport, ESPN, the New York Times, LA Times, various Tennis magazines and even MTV to mention but a few. But his results speak for themselves. In a classic Battle of the Generations, Roddick faced Chang in the second round at Roland Garros in a match that brought back memories of Chang's epic run to the title in Paris in 1989. With Roddick cramping badly in the fifth set, he finally prevailed in 3 hours, 50 minutes in a show of true grit and determination. He also served a record 37 aces against Chang-the most in any clay court match-serving notice that his delivery will be a potent weapon on the grass courts of Queen's Club and Wimbledon this year. Having shortened his service motion as a junior, Roddick now has one of the biggest serves on the ATP circuit. "It's given me a lot more options," says Roddick of his rocket delivery. "I can take more chances on my return games because I feel pretty comfortable serving." "I'm going to try to do my own thing and hope that works out well." It will certainly be seen in full during the coming grass court season, where Roddick will be looking forward to his first crack at the Wimbledon title this year despite his lack of experience on the surface. "I haven't played a lot on grass," says Roddick. "So your guess is as good as mine as to how I will adapt there." A self-confessed lover of competition "whether it's tennis, basketball or anything," Roddick shows no fear of his opponents on the court. "You can't have fear or you're not going to do anything," he says. "I said all along that I'm not going to replace Sampras and Agassi. I'm going to try to do my own thing and hope that works out well." It certainly has so far, and no doubt fans will be seeing a lot more of Andy Roddick for years to come. |
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