TENNIS MASTERS SERIES - ROMA

May 8, 2002

Andy Roddick

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Andy, please.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, they went pretty quick. You know, I didn't feel like I was hitting the ball that badly. Just, I've been playing in Houston. First round here, the court was playing pretty quick. He was getting some of my balls back. I got broken by two let cords. So just wasn't going my way early, and he was coming up with some good passing shots. But I didn't feel like I was hitting the ball badly, just the result came out pretty bad.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. It was, you know, it's legit stuff, not the hard true stuff colored orange. It's the right stuff. But, you know, we didn't get the cold weather and the rain there too much. It was pretty, you know, hot and steamy which made it a bit quicker.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. If we got, you know, a week of pretty good weather, no rain, I mean, that's pretty much how it would play.

ANDY RODDICK: I felt, you know, I didn't go nuts, which was good. You know, I kind of kept my head together, which was a nice surprise. And I started hitting my forehand a lot better cross-court. I felt like I was in control of the points when I was able to do that.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, you know, if you're asking if I'm satisfied and I just want to lose next round, no.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, that means live up to my seeding. So I think -- I think everybody in this tournament has lofty ambitions. I feel like I can, you know, go a little further. I feel like I'm hitting the ball pretty well. I feel pretty comfortable. We'll see. The tournament's not over for me yet, so hopefully I can get through tomorrow.

ANDY RODDICK: It's just a matter of me having fun. I mean, I'm not telling myself, "Okay, let's get the crowd involved and maybe you'll feed off of it." It's just I have fun out there and, you know, I guess they can maybe sense that a little bit and, you know... So that maybe helps out a little.

ANDY RODDICK: I have no idea (laughter). It's really nothing, you know, conscious. It's just kind of -- I guess I just put it forward before I went on the court.

ANDY RODDICK: I'm probably conscious of it, but not a lot of thought goes into it. You know, it's not something I, you know, planned out last night over dinner - try to come out and, you know, really try to go for it today, you know, hat forward (pumping his fist).

ANDY RODDICK: Like I said, I'm conscious of where it is. I do know if it's on forwards or backwards. But, you know, it's not one of my priorities in life (smiling).

ANDY RODDICK: Or tennis. Or fashion. Or whatever... Come on, I didn't mean to scare you guys (laughing)!

ANDY RODDICK: Besides the fact -- not really. I mean, was just really heavy conditions. I had to get used to it. But, you know, I didn't really notice the rain, you know, too much. It wasn't getting in my eyes or anything like that.

ANDY RODDICK: It's my first letter of my first name, with the first part of my second. I don't know, it's just a...

ANDY RODDICK: It all has to do with which way I'm wearing my hat that day (smiling). I don't know. It's just my friends started calling me that, you know, a couple years ago, and I guess it slowly made its way to the tour.

ANDY RODDICK: I actually got the chance to do that on Sunday afternoon after practice. I got to see some really cool things. Obviously, you can't see all of Rome in, you know, four hours. But I saw the Coliseum, which I've been dying to see for a long time. So, you know, hopefully maybe some time later this week I can go see some more.

ANDY RODDICK: I haven't seen the Pope this week.

ANDY RODDICK: Not yet. But I'm optimistic (laughter).

ANDY RODDICK: Yes, sir.

ANDY RODDICK: Really?

THE MODERATOR: Always trust what he says. Always....

ANDY RODDICK: No. No. No.