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SONY ERICSSON OPENMarch 25, 2010Andy RoddickMIAMI, FLORIDA THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. Just talk about this year's tournament, how you're feeling. Looking at the draw, how do you see this year's tournament? ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I'm not one for looking too far ahead in the draw. I know that's boring for all of you, but it's just kind of the way I approach it. I feel good. Had a good couple weeks in California, so I feel prepared and match-ready. Hopefully it will go all right. Q. Are you a little bit tired of these close but no cigars? I mean, you played great at Wimbledon, really played great well at Indian Wells. Seems like the other guys are coming with their best stuff. ANDY RODDICK: No, I mean, you know, it's all a matter of perspective, I guess. I left Memphis feeling pretty crappy about the way I was hitting the ball and playing and health-wise, so I probably wouldn't have predicted to play well in Indian Wells. You know, to have it come down to, you know, the guy just really, really serving great. You know, I played well, and that's what you want to do. Q. What aspect of your game do you think needs to improve for you to actually win? Anything that you're working on? ANDY RODDICK: Between-the-legs topspin dropshot I think would be the one to take me to that Palm Springs title. Yeah, thanks. Q. One of the most consistent players maybe of all time, you got that one Slam in your pocket. I know that's not good enough for you. You don't want to be considered a one-Slam wonder. ANDY RODDICK: I have a feeling I know which article you're gonna write already. Q. Write it for me. I'm tired. ANDY RODDICK: That story is tired, I think. What was the actual question? Because I heard a lot of statements. Q. I don't consider you a one-Slam wonder. I consider you a lot better than that. Does that bother you? Do you ever consider yourself that in any way, shape, or form? ANDY RODDICK: Well, sure. The fact of the matter is I've won one Slam. I'm not gonna -- I think -- I think a "wonder" title is more along the lines of someone who won one and went away. I'm never -- you're never gonna hear me be ungrateful for the US Open that I won. You know, I don't regret anything about it. You know, I'm pretty proud of my career. Obviously, you know, you say, Would you have like to have won -- I get this, Would you like to win more than one Slam? That's just the dumbest question in my life. Q. I didn't... ANDY RODDICK: I know you didn't. I'm just kind of elaborating on stuff you hear sometimes. I mean, of course. Would you like the über promotion of your dreams? Yes, you know. But it's a process to get there, and it's something that I'm constantly striving towards. Q. After last summer, the Wimbledon final, I mean, I don't know if that's the best you've ever played, but it has to be close to the best you've ever played, such a dramatic match and all that. When you got that close and didn't win it, did it take a while to get over that? ANDY RODDICK: Sure, yeah. Q. Did it inspire you in any way to think you were that close, or was it more of a bumper to think you were that close? ANDY RODDICK: Well, I don't know if is only one or the other. You know, I think I was -- obviously I was heartbroken afterwards. It was a lot tougher being that close than, you know, compared to the '05 Wimbledon final where I lost in straight sets and didn't feel like I was ever really too far into the match. Obviously if you're -- you know, I was almost a point away if -- you know, I had breakpoints there in the fifth. But at the same time, it was rejuvenating. It was something that I probably needed at that point, so I don't know if that's an either/or question for me. Q. Sounds like an inspired more than bummed you out, then. ANDY RODDICK: Well, no. I don't know about more or less, but it definitely was sizeable on both fronts. I was bummed out. But, again, you know, I've been saying this ever since it happened: It's a matter of perspective. If my world falls apart because I lose a tennis match, then I really don't have much else going for me. You know, it's a matter of perspective. My worst day, most heartbreaking loss, is a lot of people's best day. I had the center court at Wimbledon chanting my name afterwards. I mean, that's a great thing. That was really cool, you know. I'm not gonna -- and plus, whenever I talk about it everyone talks about one match, but it took two weeks to get there. You know, that's the thing. Q. And the Murray match, right? ANDY RODDICK: Well, the Hewitt match. You know, it's funny. Getting to a Slam final, you don't flip a coin and play a final. You know, it's a process to get there. I played well and I was happy. I navigated my way through a draw and put myself in a Grand Slam final again, which I was proud of. Q. If I'm not mistaken, I think you and Brooklyn are coming up on your one-year anniversary pretty soon here. ANDY RODDICK: Yes. Thanks for reminding me. Q. Go shopping. Don't forget. You've both had pretty interesting, exciting years professionally. I wonder if you could talk about what it's been like to juggle your very, very busy careers with marriage. And also, you seem to have a lot of fun kind of sharing your lives a little bit through Twitter. ANDY RODDICK: Well, I don't know if that's just in regards to each other. I think we both enjoy it, and it's kind of, I don't know a fun way to connect with people. And the thing is you can -- the thing I like about it is you can give them as much as you want. There's no -- it's not a, you know, a sit-down, in-depth interview where you have no idea what's coming. It's a completely controlled thing that you can throw out there. But as far as our year, I mean, it's been great. I think we both realize -- probably me more than her at this point -- but, you know, in the grand scheme of our lives, this is probably a very important three or four years for me. So we've been real good. I think we're both really excited about the opportunity as far as career goes, and I think we support each other 100%. You know, I think my favorite thing -- not my favorite thing, but one of my favorite things about Brooke is how independent she is. I like that she has her own stuff going on. I like that she's motivated. In a way, that almost makes it easier for us. Q. Is there something a little humorous that she's got the SI cover and... ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. Trust me, that fact wasn't lost on her. I promise you. Q. You gave her a little crap. ANDY RODDICK: She gave me a little crap. Well, I said after the Wimbledon final, after it was like three or four days afterwards and I had started speaking again, I said to her, I was like, You're gonna get it before me. Crap, I had it. That was one of the things I was bitter about. Q. Is it easier or harder than you expected to try to make time for each other, time for your marriage, and also do what you're doing professionally? ANDY RODDICK: You know, I don't know that I had a preconceived notion going in. I don't think -- you know, I don't think without experiencing something you can pretend to know what it's all about. You know, I think we're -- I think we get so excited for each other professionally that it's not really a detriment to us. I think we just kind of roll with the punches. We communicate tons every day regardless of if we're with each other or not. But at the same time, it is important to kind of pencil in those weeks where we can kind of just hang out and have nothing going on. I think we've been diligent about doing that, as well. Q. Can you talk a little bit about Ryan Harrison, his game, talk about his potential being a youngster coming on scene. ANDY RODDICK: Sure. I mean, my favorite thing about Ryan is he works. He already goes about his business as a professional, you know. A lot of 17 years olds you have to -- they don't really understand what goes into it as far as work, as far as, you know, stretching, nutrition, everything else. I said last week in Indian Wells when I was asked a similar question that he wants to be a tennis player first and obtain the lifestyle second. I feel like that is not the way that a lot of our juniors go about it. They want to win a match to buy a car as opposed to win a match because they really, really are excited about being a tennis player. So I think that's a good thing for him. Q. Do you see similarities between yourself when you were his age and now? ANDY RODDICK: A little bit. A little bit. I think, you know, he's gonna have to learn a little bit. He's almost too excited about everything, about playing his matches. I was definitely probably guilty of a lot of the same things, but I'd rather have a kid who's overeager than who you have to beg to get out of bed and go about his business on a given day. Q. Do you think it's a challenge to make it deeper into this tournament after making the finals at Indian Wells? Usually when players make it far in Indian Wells it's hard to make it to the finals. ANDY RODDICK: I can give you 10 examples of how it's worked out positively and negatively, so I think it would be challenging to make a run here had I not done well in Indian Wells. It's always challenging at a Masters Series event to make a run. That being said, I feel like I'm playing good tennis, so I like my chances better in that head space than having come in losing first round of Indian Wells and not really knowing where I'm at. Q. You may get a crack at Ljuby pretty early, fourth round. Looking forward to that, maybe? ANDY RODDICK: Gotta get through the first couple. Q. Did you pay attention to the Davis Cup from afar? ANDY RODDICK: Uh-huh. Q. Were you impressed with the job that Sam and John did? Were you feeling like you were missing it a little bit? ANDY RODDICK: All those things. It was weird. I mean, the part that got me the most was, you know, I was getting texts from the formal dinner when they were trying to, you know, come up with what the rookies had to say in their speeches to embarrass them and hearing about the pranks and all that stuff. I felt like, you know, I was on the bench for that one, when normally I was in the thick of it. They had a -- my first tie was a lot less intimidating than theirs. They got thrown right into the thick of it, away on clay against an extremely capable team. I thought they competed well, which was great. John was down in the last match and fought to take it to five, and I was proud -- I thought they did really well considering the circumstances, and I think that match will only help them down the road there. Q. How important do you think it is that the players have a say as to who the captain is and feel comfortable with whoever the captain is at any given time? ANDY RODDICK: Well, I have a feeling you're not as concerned about our team as you are -- Q. That's possibly true. ANDY RODDICK: -- maybe another team. Q. But on a broad base, do you think it's important that the players... ANDY RODDICK: I'm gonna answer your question very specifically. I think the most important thing for your team is to have your guy playing right now, and that's the No. 1 priority. You know, does he need to like the captain? Yes, he probably needs to like the captain. The No. 1 priority is to have -- you know, if I'm, you know, the powers that be in your Davis Cup squad, you need Murray to play, and so he has to like the captain. Q. Have you ruled out playing in the relegation match if Patrick needs you? ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. You know, Bonnie, I've always said I think if you commit to Davis Cup you commit to a year. I wouldn't have come in had they been in the semis and demanded to play, and I'm not gonna -- this is their year. I think you can't select convenient ties to play or base it on tie-to-tie basis. I think it's -- I think it's a year-long decision. At least in my mind. Q. Even in the event of an injury if John or Sam can't play? ANDY RODDICK: Well, we're not gonna talk about injuries. That would be a we'll-see. I'm certainly not gonna step in for those guys. Q. I wondered if you had Northern Iowa in your bracket. ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. You didn't? No, I didn't. There was a loud noise, and I didn't know what it was at the time. I was on the court against Soderling, and apparently it was my bracket blowing up. (laughter.) End of FastScripts |
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