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THE STELLA ARTOIS CHAMPIONSHIPSJune 16, 2006Andy RoddickLONDON, ENGLAND THE MODERATOR: Questions for Andy, please. Q. Happy with the performance? ANDY RODDICK: I am happy with the performance. You know, I can't really think of -- if I started picking apart the negatives, I feel like I'd be nitpicking a little bit. That felt normal again. It felt like I was, you know, hitting my serves well. I don't remember missing a forehand. I was hitting them with authority. I was being aggressive when I got a short ball. So, you know, that felt real good. Q. At Roland Garros, you looked as low as I think I've ever seen you. Is it just being back on a familiar footing that recharges you? ANDY RODDICK: I think so. You know, I just feel like I've been right around the corner from playing well for a little bit, you know. I just kind of haven't gotten there, you know. Obviously, coming to your favorite surface and coming to one of your favorite tournaments, you know, the recipe was there for something good to happen. And, you know, I feel good about the week and, you know, I definitely want it to keep going. Q. What did you do after Roland Garros? I'm sorry if you've been asked this already this week. ANDY RODDICK: I came straight here. Came here. Q. Racquet in your hand the first day? ANDY RODDICK: No, no, my ankle was still bummed. I probably didn't hit for four days after that. But, you know, I came here. I enjoy London a lot. I didn't want to go home. I wanted to come here, and I don't know, maybe just get the feel for everything, you know, feel like I was getting out in front of -- getting used to the grass. You know, I think it was the right move. Q. James on grass. ANDY RODDICK: Well, James hits the ball well enough to play well on any surface. I think that's been apparent this year. You know, he hasn't had the most success on grass in the past, but everything's there for him to be a real force on it, you know. He's a quick twitch player. He hits a big ball. He's fast enough. He volleys well. He takes a crack at his returns. So it should be tough, that's for sure. Q. Have you and he, Davis Cup and everything together, do you talk about surfaces, the differences between surfaces much? Or do you view each other as rivals and you're not going to let each other in on your own personal secrets? ANDY RODDICK: No, I think if any -- I mean, if you share stuff with anybody, it's probably with each other. You know, we are rivals, but if I don't win a tournament, he'd probably be the next guy I'd want to, him and Mardy and those guys. So I'm thrilled that he's doing well. I'd love to beat him tomorrow, that being said (smiling). Q. Have you hung out much in London together? ANDY RODDICK: Well, he's staying out in the village and I'm not staying there. I haven't seen -- I see him at the courts a bunch, but I haven't seen that much of him this week. Just logistically, it would be a little bit of a nightmare, especially with the traffic. But I'm sure we'll -- once I get to the village next week, I'm sure we'll get together for some card games, hang out, have dinners, or whatever. That's pretty much par for the course if it's feasible. Q. From the outside it looks like you're hitting the ball extremely well and feeling very good about yourself. Your reaction at the end was, "I really want this." ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I felt good. You know, we discussed it. That felt normal. That felt normal again. My serve was clicking. Q. First time for a while or not? ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, probably. You know, even good matches, you know, I just felt like it was normal. I was hitting good shots. I was aggressive with my forehand. I was making the guys come up with shots. I think more than anything this week, I haven't been focused so much on how to play, but just competing, like you said. I have kind of been showing a little bit more and I feel hungry this week. So, you know, it feels good, and I definitely want it to keep going. Q. Is it just the atmosphere or you or the place or grass? ANDY RODDICK: Probably -- Q. A combination? ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, probably a combination. I don't know if it's one thing. We were just talking, I said, you know, favorite surface, one of your favorite tournaments, good conditions, you know. The recipe was there for something good to happen. You know, so hopefully I can continue to take advantage of it. Q. How does this championship compare to others as the place? ANDY RODDICK: Well, this place is very special to me, obviously, having won three times here. They let me have the honor of becoming a member here, which is pretty cool, because I think there are only two other guys that they let that happen to. You know, so it's definitely good. I feel like this is the place where my career really turned around in '03 and last couple years, it's always been the place where I've gotten back on track. So, you know, it's definitely one of my favorite places. Q. Can you see anyone else beating you here? ANDY RODDICK: I don't want to, but it's definitely possible. I mean, especially when you're looking at the guys left. I mean, James has been one of the hottest players on tour this year. And Lleyton and Tim for the last, you know... Tim for the better part of a decade, and Lleyton probably since six or seven years have been probably two of the top five grass court players in the world, including myself and Roger. So, you know, the field's still stacked, and I have a long way to go. Q. I don't know if you are a man of statistics. You are a three-time winner; Lleyton is a three-time winner. Would you like that final? ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, it would be good. I think that's coincidental and I don't know if, you know, that would affect the match much, but it would be something fun to talk about, I guess. Q. Do you get a vote on the future of the club as a member? You know there's a big debate going on at the moment about the sale of the club to the -- the LTA selling the club and what should happen, etc., etc.? ANDY RODDICK: (Smiling). Yeah, a little birdie told me something like that. But I'd be misinforming you if I claimed anything but complete ignorance as far as that stuff goes. Q. You could buy it, you know. ANDY RODDICK: (Smiling). You're seriously -- I got to win more matches this year first. Q. How does Stella Artois compare to American beers? ANDY RODDICK: Let's see. I got to... Yeah, I got to be kind of careful here. It's more expensive? I don't know (laughing). Unfortunately, I don't get to compare and contrast often enough. Ask me the week after Wimbledon when I'm out on my boat and I'll probably be able to give you a more informed answer. Q. You're a member here. Do you feel a little bit English? ANDY RODDICK: Do I feel a little bit English? Except the fact that I use "dude," and "man," and "what's up, homies," and "dawg" and stuff like that a little too often, I don't know if they'd ever let that into everyday society over here. But I definitely -- Q. You must do a rap record. ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, right. That's something that will never happen. Uhm, but I'm, you know, through and through American, but I definitely enjoy my time here. Q. Second language, isn't it, really. ANDY RODDICK: (Laughing). Who knew you had it in you? Jeez. Yeah, I basically took the English language and ruined it with the way I speak, so...
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