WIMBLEDON

June 27, 2001

Andy Roddick

MODERATOR: Questions, please.

ANDY RODDICK: It was a really good feeling. I got goose bumps when I was walking out there. I got some good advice from the trainer. He said, "Look around before the match starts so you don't have to focus on it during the match."

ANDY RODDICK: Doug Spreen.

ANDY RODDICK: Not really. I think it's to my benefit that I got to play a couple matches at the Ericsson and French on big courts. That helped, I think.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. You know, I like playing on those type of situations rather than, you know, out on court, whatever, with nobody watching. I feel, you know, I play better.

ANDY RODDICK: I mean, it's like a place like Wrigley Field or Fenway Park or something. It's just kind of majestic. There's something about it.

ANDY RODDICK: I was terrible -- no (laughter). I played a lot my junior year of high school before I had to start traveling a lot. My senior year I started doing well in Juniors. I didn't get to play as much. I played in the playoffs.

ANDY RODDICK: Three or four.

ANDY RODDICK: Boca Raton Preparatory.

ANDY RODDICK: I didn't realise it was going. That was definitely a big shot for me because he was trying to really make a point to hit it and get in, you know, take the advantage of baseline rallies like that. It had been working for the majority of the third and fourth sets. To sort of actually hit a good shot like that, you know, definitely raised my confidence a little bit.

ANDY RODDICK: I just got out to early leads. I played the early points pretty good. Except for the double-fault, I served pretty flawlessly in them.

ANDY RODDICK: It feels great. I knew going in that I was going to have to play really good tennis to beat him. You know, I did. That gives me a lot of satisfaction.

ANDY RODDICK: It's great. I got to play Michael Chang at Roland Garros. Now I get to play Goran at Wimbledon. I'm really looking forward to it.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I definitely wasn't expecting to be on Centre, for sure. Then I saw the schedule last night. I didn't even see it at first. I was looking at the other courts. "Where am I?" I looked at Centre. "All right, cool."

ANDY RODDICK: I definitely felt some support out there. There were some avid fans that really got behind me. It was a great atmosphere for me to play in.

ANDY RODDICK: "Please don't lose this point." I just wanted to keep going for it. I knew that was critical. I thought he played really good tennis in the third and fourth sets. I knew his confidence would just keep building if he had gotten a hold of one of those.

ANDY RODDICK: It's not.

ANDY RODDICK: Well, the first match at Queen's, I hadn't played much at all, grass or regular. I'm definitely just, you know, learning the ins-and-outs, you know, what shots to go for at what times. Just different things like that. I'm not, you know, thinking about it too much. I'm just kind of going with the flow.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, definitely. I mean, the Centre Court here is probably the most prestigious place to play, you know, in tennis. So to get a chance at such a young age, I really cherish that.

ANDY RODDICK: Not really. You know, I've said before that I wasn't raised to be a tennis player. I never really thought about being a pro until it was kind of close to happening. No, I mean, not really.

ANDY RODDICK: Do what?

ANDY RODDICK: No, I haven't. I asked the guy on the way, "What do I do? Where do I walk? How do I do it?" I didn't want to look like a fool. He just told me what to do, and I kind of followed Thomas' lead because he played there before.

ANDY RODDICK: It's great. You know, it's definitely got its own style, for sure. No other tournament's like it.

ANDY RODDICK: I get stopped everywhere (laughter). You'll see 18 guys walking before me. I'll be the one pointed out. I guess they think I'm trying to sneak into the locker rooms.

ANDY RODDICK: It was sunny (laughter).

ANDY RODDICK: Obviously that's a great compliment for me. I mean, that's pretty much it. Anytime you can be compared to, you know, a legend of the game, that's a good thing.

ANDY RODDICK: Third round, I know (laughter). That's for sure.

ANDY RODDICK: I wasn't so confident coming into, you know, the grass court after, you know, even, you know, two days before Nottingham. I was still kind of shady on it. I think getting some matches in last week definitely helped. I'm feeling a lot better on it now.

ANDY RODDICK: I'm not thinking so much. I'm just playing on my instincts, which always makes it easier.

ANDY RODDICK: A lot. He did the whole junior thing before I did. He's played a lot. Anytime I had a question or anything, I had someone in the family with some experience.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I used to travel with him when he was going to junior tournaments. Yeah, I definitely have lots of pretty cool memories from that.

ANDY RODDICK: I don't know, maybe when I was 16 or so. All the people that played with him still look at me as Little Roddick, no matter what I do (smiling).

ANDY RODDICK: Do what?

ANDY RODDICK: Well, I knew I was going to do tennis, but I didn't know I was going to do it professionally on a level. I was always, you know, pretty decent in Juniors. You know, I knew worst-case scenario I'd get a scholarship to go to college somewhere, like my brother did. Then, you know, I put together a pretty decent streak of junior tournaments. Then I decided to go. So it all happened in a matter of -- I mean, the decision for me to go pro, all happened maybe in a span of two months.

ANDY RODDICK: No. I have always been an athlete. I never really thought too much about my future (laughter). You know, I guess I was going to figure that out in college, if I would have gone.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I mean, I got recruited. I probably would have gone to Georgia. My brother is the assistant there. It would have fit nice.

ANDY RODDICK: I used to bellyflop (laughter). No, not really. I never really got to. My oldest brother is a lot older than me, an old man now. So, you know, I never really went to diving meets too much. Maybe when I was like three or four. I was always into tennis with my other brother.

ANDY RODDICK: You know, just anything anybody else would do. Go to movies, hang out with friends. You know, just the normal things.

ANDY RODDICK: I would love to improve everything. That would be great. I don't know. I mean, I have a lot of things to work on. You know, that excites me. Hopefully I can get better in a lot of aspects.

ANDY RODDICK: No. Coming in with I thought were pretty high goals, I achieved them a couple months in. I'm feeling pretty good about how I started.

ANDY RODDICK: I mean, it's really no different. It's just a matter of doing press conferences and stuff like that. But off the court, you know, it's still the same ol'.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I've said before, one of my favourite matches was when Andre beat him in the finals. I thought that was a really cool match.

ANDY RODDICK: No. I always play with a bunch of emotion. I mean, that's how I play. You know, I've done it before. It's just part of my game. I just go with my gut instinct. I don't say, "I got upset, what's going to happen now?"

ANDY RODDICK: Excuse me?

ANDY RODDICK: I don't think so. I know what you're talking about. I just had a couple chances maybe to break open the fourth. I thought I returned pretty well in the fourth. He just came up with the goods. A couple times when I had a good look here and there, you know, I just didn't do it. I was just getting on myself a little.

ANDY RODDICK: Yes.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah.

ANDY RODDICK: I have. I went last year for the first time.

ANDY RODDICK: They were nice enough to let me hang out in the dugout before batting practise. I got to talk to some of the guys. They gave me a hat. I wear it.

ANDY RODDICK: Have not.