US OPEN

September 3, 2004

Andy Roddick

THE MODERATOR: First question for Andy Roddick.

ANDY RODDICK: No. If you're up two sets to love, it really doesn't happen that often that you want to go four sets. You know, I really wanted to bear down. You know, he's a fiery guy. So, you know, if he would have won that third set, his emotions would have been running high and who knows what would have happened.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, normally happens here. Something about a night session at the Open that kind of gets inside of you a little bit. Especially when, you know, he was kind of getting pumped up and stuff. I wanted to make sure that I kind of stayed on par and kept my intensity up as well.

ANDY RODDICK: No, no. We hung out a couple times in Athens, though.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, besides the fact that he's a gold medalist, I mean, the guy almost died, lost a toe, then decided he was going to try to do it all over again. That's, you know, pretty special, you know, to come back and, you know, have an injury like that and come back and give it a go again, and give it a hell of a go. I mean, he got a medal. That's pretty cool.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. There's a rumor he's coming down to the locker room, so we'll see.

ANDY RODDICK: No, I'd be hypocritical if I said anything. I think more than anything, it was just me being frustrated with the way he was playing there in the third set. On the court you might not like it, but I respect it. I like someone who's that competitive. He's down two sets to love, he's getting a pretty good whooping, and he's still in there fighting every point, living and dying every point. That's going to bode well for him in the future.

ANDY RODDICK: Not really. I've played a lot of guys who the first time they step out on that court, they're a little anxious. I felt like I was hitting the ball great in the first set. Obviously, that being said, if you would have asked me beforehand if I would have won the first set 6-0, I would have said you're crazy. But that's just the way it went out there tonight.

ANDY RODDICK: He gets a lot of action on his ball. He gets a lot of work on it. The wind was kind of blowing towards the commentary boxes tonight. When he would kind of take a rip from the side with the wind, it was tough for me to get a hold of it. You know, he competes. He wants to win every match, every time. You know it's not going to be easy. So that's a lot -- I see a lot of good things there.

ANDY RODDICK: My record against lefties in the last year has been pretty solid, actually. It's an adjustment for anybody, not just me. But, you know, I've become a lot better, you know. They gave me some problems early in my career. But, you know, I think over the last year, year and a half, you know, I've really started playing them pretty well.

ANDY RODDICK: No, I haven't hit with a lefty.

ANDY RODDICK: Your guess is as good as mine. You know, there are still lefties being born, right? I mean, that's what I would think. Maybe they're not picking up tennis racquets, I don't know. I think anybody's guess is as good as anybody's there. I don't know if it's just coincidental or what. I really have no clue.

ANDY RODDICK: Thanks, buddy (smiling). I think you're swell, too.

ANDY AGASSI: Yeah, I mean, more than anything I'm just disappointed for them. You know, I watched some of Mardy's match. I didn't watch -- I watched the first set of Taylor's, and he won it. I don't know. I mean, I think it's -- it's just about getting over that hump in the Slams, you know. I had trouble early on, too, kinda progressing past a certain point. I was getting the same questions. So, you know, I think it's just a matter of breaking through, and hopefully it will happen for them sooner rather than later.

ANDY RODDICK: Just keep plugging away. You know, I think, you know, I don't know if the emotional high of Athens got to him - and Taylor for that matter. You know, I don't know. Just keep plugging away. I feel like he was on the right track coming into the Open. I talked to him this morning. He was, you know, disappointed but he was pretty upbeat. He knows that, you know, there's some work to do. He'll get there, I hope.

ANDY RODDICK: It doesn't. I'm watching the matches the same way you guys are, just sitting there watching. Then when it's go time, you start getting ready. You know, the only difference is I'm stretching out and getting stuff done to me while I'm watching the matches.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, the good part about that one was his argument. When I asked him about that on the switch over, was he said, "I was tracking the ball." Okay. I said, "If you were tracking the ball and I'm at the net, how do you see a ball that's a foot from the wall in the back?" Then the conversation just went downhill from there. I mean, if he would have just said, "That's the rule, I'm sorry, I know it's a pain in the ass but that's the rule," okay. But you got to say something like that. I just don't get it.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. Yeah, I don't know if -- I have never felt unbeatable before, that's for sure. I think if -- no, I mean, I don't feel unbeatable. But I feel like I'm playing pretty good tennis.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know about that. They're being supportive. I don't know if they think I'm unbeatable. But they're certainly giving me their all, and it's much appreciated.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. I don't know if there was sweat on the court or what. I mean, I was down before I knew it. And then I didn't bother checking if it was a wet spot because I fell and I was sweaty, so there was probably a lot of wet spots there after I fell. I don't know. I don't know if my feet went out from under me or what.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, I just ate it pretty hard. You know, I got a nice little cherry on the side of my hip. I felt a little bit on my hand. I was kind of worried about that. That's not good (smiling). But I think it's all right.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, it's just a little -- I mean, I got a couple cuts and stuff, but nothing big.

ANDY RODDICK: If that's the case, then why are more Americans not still in the tournament?

ANDY RODDICK: Okay, thanks.

ANDY RODDICK: That's a convenient excuse. You know, I don't know. I don't remember throwing my racquet so far this tournament, so you tell me.

ANDY RODDICK: No, man. I think about just trying to hit it hard again. To be honest, people talk a lot about the serve and all that, but that's one of my accomplishments that I'm least proud of. It's just one point. It's just one serve. And I know I can do it, you know. So for me, the novelty has kind of worn off. I play it more, you know, as an effective shot rather than, you know, going for the glory.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, I've been on the court 2 hours and 50 minutes, so that's conserving energy.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, I don't think Nebraska changing to a west coast offense is a disaster for humanity. But for us Husker fans, I don't know. Good thing is we got Betty Crocker's schedule early on. Hopefully that will give our offense a chance to click in. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous about it.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, no, because I'm allowed to cross the line, remember? I'm allowed to say whatever I want and do whatever I want with no repercussions (smiling). No, I don't really think about, you know, if I cross the line, then I cross the line and I get a warning. You know, whatever. I don't really think about it that much.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I think in the heat of the moment a lot of stuff is said. And, you know, the umpires are all pretty good people. They tell me I have like split personality because I'll see them off the court and I'll be nice and ask them how they're doing and stuff. Then they said I'm just a pain in the ass on court. So I don't know (laughing). You know, at the moment, I mean most things that I say. But in retrospect, you know, we all have things that we probably would change.