TENNIS MASTERS CUP

November 13, 2003

Andy Roddick

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, I think it's a very sweet day for me. I'm going to try to forget the fact that I didn't play well. Yeah, I mean, I just have to keep in perspective the big picture, I think. So in that aspect, it was very good.

ANDY RODDICK: I mean, obviously, I was angry and annoyed, but... You know, at the same time, like I said, I did realize that this was a culmination of, you know, the whole year. And I wasn't gonna, you know, spoil that by having a bad attitude about it just because I didn't play well on one day.

ANDY RODDICK: I felt no pressure whatsoever. Yeah, no...

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. You know, just, I mean, I think it's just the fact that he makes you work every point. He puts a lot of balls in the court. I still feel like I haven't had my best day against Rainer. So that's a little frustrating. But, you know, he just makes you work out there. I think what you see is what you get. Probably you're watching it, you think, "He's just putting a lot more balls in the court. He handles pace a lot better," which means you have to figure out different ways to win the point.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he goes out there. He's got to put his working boots on. He goes about it every day. It's pretty impressive.

ANDY RODDICK: I mean, even for the last couple weeks I just feel like I've been on the verge of playing well, but I haven't quite gotten there. You know, close matches I was winning this summer are the close matches I've been losing recently. So I was just trying to kind of pump myself up and, you know, just didn't happen for me today.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, absolutely. I think a lot of guys are pretty trashed, to be honest. You know, I think I've been trying to put up a pretty solid front for the last couple of weeks. But fooled you (smiling). You know, it definitely starts taking its toll on you towards the end of it.

ANDY RODDICK: No, I mean, that was part of the plan. I just didn't hit it very well. I think I had to try to maybe make him force the issue a little bit, which worked. I just didn't play solid every single point. I think that's what was the difference.

ANDY RODDICK: I think so. I think so. You know, it's a fine line in between pulling back and then, you know, maybe not getting the matches that you need. So, you know, I'll probably take a very careful look at it. But, you know, at the same time I know that I need matches to play well, so we'll see.

ANDY RODDICK: It's a pretty big accomplishment for me - you know, something I never thought would happen or was possible. And to kind of just storm through the last, you know, this summer and kind of take it, you know, the latter part of the year, maybe I snuck up on some people - I don't know. You know, it's definitely a big accomplishment for me, and I'm ecstatic about it.

ANDY RODDICK: Nothing. I had to play today (smiling).

ANDY RODDICK: No.

ANDY RODDICK: You know... But then, I mean, like I said, there's always gonna be something else. It's gonna be, "We know he did it one year. He won one Slam." But, "How's he gonna keep it up now?" (Mardy Fish comes in with champagne). Yes, what was the question (laughter)? I smell like Happy Hour right now (laughter)! Thanks for the warning, by the way. I appreciate it. Absolutely. It was real nice of you. What happened now? What the hell are you doing here, Fish?

ANDY RODDICK: No, we were calling Shark for score updates, but I don't think it was on until tape delay. So it would have made it an impossibility.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I mean, I agree with Andre in some aspect of it. But at the same time, I think the ranking is kind of the marker of what you've done over the last year. I'm sure to a certain extent, I mean, if Andre said he was doing -- I mean, I agree if you're playing well and doing the things you need to be doing, the ranking will take care of itself. At the same time, it is a measuring stick. I'm sure if Andre was 25 in the world, he'd be paying attention to it.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, absolutely. I do agree, though, if you are doing the right things and taking care of your business, that it should take care of itself.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, probably not. Like I said, there's always been "the next thing." Even after the Open, there was Davis Cup the next week. After that, there was going to the other tournaments and trying to solidify No. 1. So it was constantly just something -- been something on my plate for the last little bit. Before that, it was the new coaching change. So there's been a lot of attention. So, you know, maybe when I get away next week, maybe it will all catch up to me.

ANDY RODDICK: What are you talking about? I don't remember that (laughter).

ANDY RODDICK: I have denial problems. I have very selective memory. I have no idea what you're talking about.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, absolutely. You know, my goal was to just make it here at that point. That was kind of looking shady. So, you know, for all this to happen, it's just been a whirlwind. It's just been amazing for me. I don't even really know what to say about it. I mean, it's just been an amazing ride over the last couple of months.

ANDY RODDICK: I mean, he's, you know, a very quick player. Has a lot of flair, has a great feel for the game. He's good at dropshots, angles. He's a good match player. He competes well. So, you know, it's similar like today, I'm going to have to play every point. I'm going to have to try to be a little bit more solid.

ANDY RODDICK: That's not something I pay attention to, to be honest. That's not my place to worry about it or, you know, make opinions about it. I honestly haven't noticed it that much.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, first of all, let me say that I'm not in any of their classes yet. You just look at that list, and everybody, you think of them as a legend of the game. You know, to kind of just be in that breath for a day, maybe, is kind of cool. I know if I want to stay there, I'm going to have to go to work.

ANDY RODDICK: I've gotten used to some parts of it. But there are other parts of it that still kind of... I'm like, "What's going on here?"

ANDY RODDICK: It's just I know I live this ridiculous life and I'm so fortunate. I'm definitely not oblivious to it. I realize that, you know, sometimes - who was it - I think I did the Jim Rum Show (ph) after the Open. He said, "Were you crying because you were happy or were you crying because you realize your life's downhill from now on?" I didn't know which way to go on that one.

ANDY RODDICK: Not much. If I was to complain about it, I'd feel like an absolute, you know, something I can't say. So not really. I mean, it's gonna be nice to get away and kind of go kind of live in a little bit of a hole for the next couple weeks. That will be, you know, maybe a nice get-away.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I think so. I think so. You know, no one -- there's no announced appearances, there's no tournament to go to. There's no, you know... So I think so.

ANDY RODDICK: Next one, next question...

ANDY RODDICK: To be closer to my family. Mainly my brothers, my niece and my nephew. I grew up there. I've always felt like that was home. I've always wanted to get back. You know, I didn't really think it was gonna happen that fast, but I went and kind of curiosity got the better of me. I went there and it all happened pretty quickly. So we'll see how much time I'm there and how much time I spend in Florida.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. Yeah, I don't think I served well the first night, and I don't think I served well today. I'm not sure what it is. I'm just not getting the push-off off my legs or anything else. I mean, it's disappointing, especially my second serve. I don't miss second serves that often. To be giving away points on double-faults and not making first serves and tiebreakers is pretty out of the ordinary for me. It's a little frustrating.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, there was no doubt about it, it was pretty ugly tennis. I think the conditions had something to do with it. It's not like the wind was blowing one way or another. I felt like it changed directions about six times during the match. Maybe that accounted for some of it. But it's both ways. You know, like Rainer said, it goes both ways. So it's not an excuse if the other person has to put up with it as well.

ANDY RODDICK: Not fatigue on the day. I don't know if it's a culmination of the year or what, I mean, battling knickknack things. So possibly. But not on the day. I mean, I felt like I had enough energy out there today. I was serving badly from the beginning; it's not like all of a sudden I started serving badly.

ANDY RODDICK: I have no idea what I use on my forehand. I have no idea. I should probably know that (laughter). Want some booze?

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, you know what, there's no bad way to win. If you win ugly, you win ugly. Absolutely. Today wasn't a pretty match. So, yeah, I guess. I guess it's fitting.