	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

WIMBLEDON

June 24, 2011

Andy Roddick

LONDON, ENGLAND

F. LOPEZ/A. Roddick
7-6, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How tough is it when a guy plays as good grass court tennis as he did out there today?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, he played well. I mean, this year's a lot easier to deal with than, let's say, last year where I feel like I gave it away.
I got beat. He came out. He served about as well as someone has.
You know, the stuff that's enabled me to beat him seven times, making passing shots under duress, making him play defense on his forehand, he did well today. Mixed up his serve. There weren't a whole lot of patterns.
So he played an outstanding match.

Q. Do you feel like Feliciano's serving is in the top five of the tour right now or top three?
ANDY RODDICK: I think in order to be one of those guys, I think you have to do it for a long period of time. You know, today for sure. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Q. Last time you played, he fired 35 aces. You still won. Today you lost. He didn't fire as many aces. It was just the passing shots or the level of consistency he had?
ANDY RODDICK: Let's not get too caught up on a number of aces. I mean, the way that you represented that stat was that it was the be all, end all. I'm not sure that's the case.
I thought his second serve was great today. He mixed it up. You know, he was consistently -- you know, for a lefty to be able to play both sides of the box on a second serve with pace was tough. And he didn't, you know -- with Feliciano, he holds a lot at Love or 15. A couple times a set you normally get a look at Love-15, Love-30. And today he didn't dig himself any holes. He played the first points of the games very well.

Q. How are the emotions different for you as you get older in your career at these opportunities when they disappear, even if it's when another player just picks up his game against you?
ANDY RODDICK: Uhm, I'm not sure. I mean, I think it is a big difference to where if you feel like, you know, you played pretty well. I mean, you look at the numbers. He played great.
He played better than I did. You know, I think, you know, he beat me. It's easier for me to walk out of here with that and move forward with that than, let's say, '08 where I lost to Tipsarevic and I felt like I completely choked or last year where I just kind of had a million opportunities and kind of gave it away. Those are tougher to take now, I think.

Q. You say you played well and still lost. Does it not make it harder thinking you have to come back next year and play even better to get beyond this?
ANDY RODDICK: Say that again.

Q. If you say you played well but still lost today, it's easier to take, does it not make it harder for the future?
ANDY RODDICK: I probably played like shit in third rounds and won before, too. The thing you guys have to understand is there's no script. Some days you're going to play well and lose, and some days you're going to play like crap and win.
Of course you have to come back and play better next year. I lost in the third round. Is that what you're looking for? I'm confused on how to go about that question.

Q. You said you lost a couple years ago and gave it away.
ANDY RODDICK: Yes, last year.

Q. Today you said you played well and still lost.
ANDY RODDICK: He beat me. It's easier to take that way. I just don't understand the context to next year.

Q. To know you may have to play even better next year.
ANDY RODDICK: It's fine. I played well and I've finaled here also. It's just the way it goes in sports sometimes. If it was predictable, it would be like watching a DVD.

Q. As the years go by, do you let thoughts creep in that it might never happen for you here?
ANDY RODDICK: Well, sure. You're human. I mean, of course it does. You know, you may never get your favorite job either. No offense to your current employer.

Q. I'm quite happy.
ANDY RODDICK: That's good. Me, too.

Q. My question was, it must be harder as the year goes on to think of this dream of yours.
ANDY RODDICK: It's similar to the question just asked. What do you do? You keep moving forward until you decide to stop. At this point I've not decided to stop so I'll keep moving forward.

Q. Somebody asked you for an autograph when you were walking off the court, and then you threw the racquet at them.
ANDY RODDICK: No. I just had the racquet in my hand. I figured it was just going to go to waste like a doorstop or something or the bottom of my foot. I figured a seven-year-old boy would probably get more use out of it than my grass court bottoms.

Q. Were the tiebreakers really the problem?
ANDY RODDICK: Yeah. I mean, a couple times I got in to his backhand, which is known where you want to be in a rally against him. He hit some good shots.
He went big on second serves in those tiebreakers and didn't double once. I mean, he played pretty high-risk. He was able to cover up some things that are normally weaknesses.
You know, I feel like he played as complete a match as he's played against me.

Q. Do you have any thoughts about moving forward, the rest of the summer, your plans?
ANDY RODDICK: The next plan is you get ready for Davis Cup. I'm going to be seeing some of these guys again in two weeks. So you go home and regroup and see where we're at then.

Q. Do you think Serena had a just cause, stuck out on Court 2? What were your reflections on that?
ANDY RODDICK: 'Just cause'?

Q. Moaning about the fact she gets relegated to Court 2.
ANDY RODDICK: I don't choose the courts. If it wasn't a little surprising, we wouldn't be talking about it. So there's got to be something to it.
But, you know, I haven't talked to her. We were all pretty surprised about it, I've got to be honest, when we saw it. But as far as -- I don't know any -- you're making it sound like there's been some sort of fallout since then.
I haven't seen anything about that. I mean, you know, certainly if anybody deserves to play anywhere, the two Williams sisters do.

Q. How do you see your season so far?
ANDY RODDICK: Average. Average. Uhm, you know, I feel like the way I practiced and prepared the last month, I wish I would have gotten more out of it.
I felt good coming in. You know, normally when I don't play well at a slam, you kind of don't feel on top of things. I felt on top of things since I got here.
You know, like I mentioned before, I feel like I've played worse and gotten further before. So, uhm, it's disappointing in that sense. But, you know, I don't feel horrible going into the summer by any means.

Q. Do you feel like the Davis Cup in Chile was the highlight so far? Where does that fit?
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. We're talking about a six-month window of my entire career. I mean, winning Memphis is nice, keeping kind of that streak alive of winning a tournament for however many odd years that is.
Sure, I mean, winning an away tie on clay gave us an opportunity to move on, so that's good.
You know, listen, guys, you guys have a rough day at work, you get chewed out by your boss, something happens, you pick up and you move on. That's it. That's it.

Q. Have you finally got that song out of your head yet?
ANDY RODDICK: I had till you mentioned that. Thank you. I think you're my favorite journalist this press conference so far (smiling).

Q. You're my favorite tennis player I've spoken to, no shadow of a doubt.
ANDY RODDICK: Thank you (smiling).

Q. They said they sent you a CD of their hits.
ANDY RODDICK: Really? I haven't gotten it yet. Isn't it like a cider drinker?

Q. With Royal Mail delivering it, you'll get it probably by next year.
ANDY RODDICK: When I have to play well again (smiling).

Q. How fast will that court be in Austin?
ANDY RODDICK: It will be on the faster side. I don't think we're going to want to play them on anything slow.

Q. Ryan Harrison said you're an important mentor to him. He talked about some of the advice you give him. What would you want him to take away from the tough match that he had with Ferrer, and what example do you try to show him when you've had a tough match and leave on the wrong side?
ANDY RODDICK: Uhm, you know, Ryan's got a lot of good. He wants to win. I mean, the way he played through three sets is probably the best I've seen him play.
You know, for him it's not so much how he plays. He likes the big stage. He plays well at some bigger events. For him, he's going to have to take care of business in some minor league events so he is there full-time.
I told him, I said, You make a career of -- you make highlights playing above yourself playing good players, but you make a career winning the majority of matches you're supposed to win. I think once he starts doing that, you'll see him rise up pretty quickly.

Q. Do you think you're still improving?
ANDY RODDICK: Not this year. No, I haven't played well this year, for sure. I don't think I've played my best since probably April of last year.
I think I can. Have I over the last year? Probably not. I've been up against some stuff. But it has to get better. There's no doubt.

Q. Talk a little bit about the tie in Austin, what that means to you personally.
ANDY RODDICK: Uhm, it's tough to think about it right now. I'm certainly thankful for the opportunity. It's weird to have my home life in Austin and my tennis life, it seems like they're almost two different existences. For the two of them to come together for that weekend, it's pretty cool.
There's normally such a distinct line between the two. I'm curious to see how it goes. I was excited to see the support that it got in Austin.

Q. How much do you watch this when you leave early? Will you have a chance to watch?
ANDY RODDICK: I normally don't watch much, to be honest. I watch a lot while I'm here. But no disrespect, it's tough for me to watch after I go.
I have a hard time planning my day around watching tennis. I'd rather try to get better at it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297