US OPEN

September 5, 2004

Andy Roddick

THE MODERATOR: First question for Andy.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't have the patience for fishing.

ANDY RODDICK: The lights are bright in here or something.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I thought my forehand felt really good today. I thought the first two sets, I thought I returned really well. You know, I was getting some pace on it. You know, I closed well. So I'm pretty happy.

ANDY RODDICK: Not consciously. I mean, I'm doing nothing different than, you know, what I normally do. I think it's just maybe the hype of The Open and being back here. You know, I really don't have, you know, a magical explanation for it.

ANDY RODDICK: Dumped it.

ANDY RODDICK: My serve to his forehand hadn't really been as effective as I would have liked. You know, even the first game he made pretty good contact with a bunch of forehand returns. And I felt like I actually hit one earlier in the match at about 120, a second serve, and he laced it. I really wasn't thinking about it as my first option right then.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, that was actually pretty key. He had two looks at second serves on breakpoints, and he dumped both of them in the net. You know, that was a big relief for me.

ANDY RODDICK: I think that's just the way sports in general is. It's fun to talk about "what if." You know, I mean, who knows. I didn't lose to the rain.

ANDY RODDICK: It's like Wrigley.

ANDY RODDICK: Uhm, I know if I was a fan, I'd want to keep the ball. I'd probably get in trouble for not throwing it back. But, you know, at the same time, I mean, I can see both sides of the equation. You know, either way, you know, I'm happy with either way.

ANDY RODDICK: Then we're using a bunch of slow balls (laughter). No, hopefully the umpire wouldn't let someone get away with hitting the balls in the crowd.

ANDY RODDICK: No, it's done, man. It does no good to look back and beat myself up, you know, or torment myself with that. It's done. I'm here at The Open. I'm not playing Wimbledon any more. I don't think it would do me any good. I had a week afterwards where it was the first thing I thought of when I woke up every day. But, you know, what's done is done. It does me no good to look back.

ANDY RODDICK: In what regard?

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I don't have to answer questions naked in front of my locker.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. I mean, this is what I'm used to. I think it's pretty much par for the course. You know, obviously someone who's giving a football interview is going to be probably a little more animated than someone who is interviewing a golfer. Who knows. You know, I think each sport has their own kind of clique.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I'm disappointed for them. You know, there's really not much else. You know, I'm disappointed for them, you know, from the point of view of being a friend. That's the way it goes sometimes.

ANDY RODDICK: Not after. I called him the next morning, but I didn't bring up the match. You know, he seemed okay. You know, he was back in Tampa, you know, trying to put his hurricane shutters up.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, they're here, so we're not quite sure.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I'm sure they got it under control. They didn't seem really concerned. If something happens, then they'll fix it, I guess. Doesn't do too much good to worry when you're pretty far away.

ANDY RODDICK: No. I think we do this too much. If I'm going to do this for, you know, however long, if I nitpick every single match, that will make -- you know, that won't make it much fun. Today I played well. You know, I thought I had a game plan, I executed it. You know, you're always going to miss some shots that you don't want to miss. But I had a game plan, I competed well, I took it to him, so I'm happy. I don't think I try to complicate things too much - more than I have to.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, if I sit back and just kind of -- I'm not going to sit back there and be more consistent than he is, or I'm not going to be faster than he is. I kind of have to look at it from the point of view of, "What can I do better?" I feel like I can attack more comfortably than he can.

ANDY RODDICK: No. You still have to win three sets, whenever it is. I love playing at night here. You know, the electricity is great. But, you know, sometimes it's more comfortable during the day. Who knows. If I came in and lost at night, I'd probably say I hate night. If I lost during the day, I'd probably say I hate days (laughter). Who knows. You know, either way it's fine by me.

ANDY RODDICK: I think it's better, you know. I don't really think of it in terms, you know, when I started with Brad, when I didn't. As I've gotten stronger, it's gotten better. Compared to three years ago here, at least I feel like it's night and day, especially on some passing shots and returns. I think I've really improved it.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, he's the trainer for the Golden State Warriors. Whenever I'm out with Brad, we work together some. He's kind of, you know, an over-the-phone advisor sometimes. Him and Doug are in contact a bunch. It's been a nice addition.

ANDY RODDICK: I wasn't happy to get down the break early to Nadal. But, you know, that would be nitpicking (smiling).

ANDY RODDICK: Coming up on five, I think.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I don't think so. If you look at a lot of players, you know, people say equipment, equipment, equipment, equipment, equipment. Pete used the same racquet from '88 till he retired. You know, he did okay with it all that time. I don't think it will get too overboard. If anything, it's more you see the guys using different strings now and stuff like that. But I don't see it coming to the point where you have to ban stuff, ban equipment.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. You'd have to ask him that.

ANDY RODDICK: I'm just comfortable with it. People talk about power and power and power with it. You know, you got to be able to keep it in, as well. You know, I'm just comfortable with it. I've been playing with it for, like I said, five years now. So, you know, it's almost like just secondhand now.

ANDY RODDICK: What do I love about playing tennis? There's a lot of stuff I love about playing tennis. I just love competition. If there was one thing I could change, I'd love to play every match at home. But obviously the schedule's a little tough as far as playing every week, and the travel and stuff. But, you know, that's also a perk of the job. There's not a whole lot of downside to doing what I do.

ANDY RODDICK: Huh?

ANDY RODDICK: You know, it could be a lot tougher. Obviously, you always want to kind of look forward. But, you know, if I sat here and was complaining to you guys about being the No. 2 tennis player in the world, I would want you guys to rip me. I think you have to have a little perspective about it.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. That's an irrelevant question right now. We'll get to that. We'll get to that -- we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

ANDY RODDICK: Of course. When you're 12, you hate everything, right? Or 14, 15. I mean, no. There are times when I hate playing right now because you're really losing and stuff. But there's never been a point...

ANDY RODDICK: Not really. There are times when you're a junior and you want to take a break and stuff because, you know, you don't even know what you're thinking. But, no. This is what I do. This is what I've always done. You know, ever since I've been seven or eight years old, I've played. You know, it's too big, you know, a part of me now.

ANDY RODDICK: I probably worked with him probably two and a half years or so.

ANDY RODDICK: '97 to '99.