Roddick Wins Opener at Tennis Masters Cup



Posted on November 13, 2003

ATP REVIEW/PREVIEWRoddick starts Masters Cup campaign with a win (ATP)
World No. 1 Andy Roddick bitched, moaned, then aced his way to a difficult three-set victory Tuesday night in his opening match at the Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, overcoming former No. 1 Carlos Moya 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
Highlights from the over-caffeinated American directed at the chair umpire: "You didn't even question it. What's wrong with you? You blew it. You can't sit still...No shit -- 15-40, why didn't you keep your trap shut goddamnit...Seriously, you can't sit still up there. You get the itch whenever it's a big point."
An angry double fault after one particular argument cost Roddick the second set, but the reigning US Open champ regained his composure to break for 5-3 in the third, and easily serve it out.
The win keeps Roddick in the driver seat for No. 1 and the 21-year-old can clinch it today if Andre Agassi defeats Juan Carlos Ferrero in straight sets.
In the day's opening match, Germany's Rainer Schuettler overcame Guillermo Coria in an un-watchable 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 contest featuring numerous unforced errors and Coria gimping around the court in his maybe-I'm-injured, maybe-I'm-not routine.
"It was tough to get a rhythm," said Schuettler, who also complained about the newly-laid hardcourts. "It was very warm and humid today. I mean, when I came here on Wednesday I practiced with a sweater because it was so cold. Today, yeah, I went out there and I needed an ice towel after the first set. So it was, yeah, a little surprise for me, too. But I think he was a little bit more tired than I was and that help me, too, in the match."
Coria looked to be fighting the heat and a residual illness. "I wasn't feeling too good physically. That made me play bad because my game is based on good physical conditioning. I'm fast, so I get to the balls and I can hit the balls. It was also very hot out there. I never felt comfortable on court. That made me make too many mistakes. I had a fever before the tournament, in Paris. I could not prepare well."

Masters Cup Singles Standings
Red Group:
(1)Andy Roddick 1-0 win-loss (2-1 sets)
(6)Rainer Schuettler 1-0 (2-1)
(4)Guillermo Coria 0-1 (1-2)
(7)Carlos Moya 0-1 (1-2)

Blue Group:
(8)David Nalbandian 1-0 win-loss (2-0 sets)
(3)Roger Federer 1-0 (2-1)
(5)Andre Agassi 0-1 (1-2)
(2)Juan Carlos Ferrero 0-1 (0-2)

How happy is Todd Woodbridge with partner Jonas Bjorkman after watching the Swede squander match points in the third sets tiebreak Tuesday at the Masters Cup doubles, chunking in two double faults? Not very. "The tie-break we sort of gave it away, twice we had our opportunity and played tentatively," said Woodbridge after dropping the 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(9) match against the top-seeded Bryan brothers, subsequently eliminating themselves from the semifinals. "It's disappointing but the record is going to come when it comes, I can't push that. What's positive is I played three tough, good matches here and I'm ready to go back to Australia for the Davis Cup." Woodbridge was trying to break Tom Okker's doubles title record by winning his 79th title. Bjorkman and Woodbridge led 5-1 in the third set breaker, and had their second match point at 8-7. "We felt like we were just clawing to stay in the match," Bob Bryan said. "Then we got a little bit of magic in the tiebreak. The Damm-Suk match really drained us. It was the most emotional match of our lives and it was difficult to get our energy level back." In the other match Tuesday, Frenchmen Llodra/Santoro beat the winless Czechs Damm/Suk 6-3, 7-6(5) to advance to the semis, going against their No. 6 seeding.

Masters Cup Doubles Standings
Red Group:
(1)Bryan/Bryan 3-0 win-loss (6-3 sets) *
(6)Llodra/Santoro 2-1 (5-3) *
---------------------------
(3)Bjorkman/Woodbridge 1-2 (4-4)
(7)Damm/Suk 0-3 (1-6)

* Qualified for semis

Blue Group:
(4)Knowles/Nestor 2-0 win-loss (4-1 sets)
(8)Etlis/Rodriguez 1-1 (2-2)
(2)Bhupathi/Mirnyi 1-1 (2-2)
(5)Arthurs/Hanley 0-2 (1-4)

Wednesday's matches in singles and doubles at the Masters Cup are Federer vs. his nemesis Nalbandian (Argentine leads head-to-head 5-0, including three wins this year), Bhupathi/Mirnyi vs. Knowles/Nestor (K/N lead 4-1), Ferrero vs. Agassi in a must-win match for both players (Spaniard leads 3-1, including their last two meetings on hardcourt), and Arthurs/Hanley vs. Etlis/Rodriguez (must-win for both teams, Aussies lead 1-0).

NOTES, QUOTES, AND BARBS
Venus and Serena post for the WTA Charities Gala fashion show, and not for the ceremony honoring all the former No. 1s? They should write a book, "How to Be Despised by Your Peers"...Serena Williams' new clothing line is "Aneres," Serena spelled backward, what braintrust thought that up?...Why is the WTA's "Win of the Week" the Dementieva d. Rubin match in the round robin of the WTA Championships, when Rubin choked after leading 6-4, 5-2? Should be "Choke of the Week." That match was awful...The WTA will apparently attempt to shorten its 11-month schedule by a week in 2006 and by two weeks in 2007 in response to player complaints about the season being too long...Andy Roddick's win last night at the Masters Cup means Roger Federer is eliminated from the year-end No. 1 race...Elton John played host to Billie Jean King's 60th birthday party Sunday night at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Among those in attendance at the event were Pete Sampras and wife Brigette and Jimmy Connors and wife Patti...Don't hold your breath waiting for Andy Roddick's reality TV show. According to Roddick:  "It's definitely not anything concrete. There were some quotes used that I hadn't really given permission to use. To be honest, I don't know a lot about it. It's definitely not something that is gonna happen; it's kind of taken on its own entity. To be honest, I read about it in newspapers, and that's where I get my information...It's not a go."...Brad Gilbert is trying to become the first coach in ATP ranking history to lead two different players to the year-end No. 1 position.