Federer Romps, Tsonga Upset As Roddick Announces Retirement At US Open

August 30th, 2012

Federer Romps, Tsonga Upset As Roddick Announces Retirement At US Open
by Sean Randall

The big story on Thursday was the somewhat expected announcement from Andy Roddick that this would be his last US Open. We’ve hinted on this site serveral times during each event Roddick has played this year that it may be his last visit. Turns out that was the case.

What was a little unexpected was this would also be his last event! Roddick has fallen out of the top 20 and while he does still win smaller events, he no longer contends for Slams. And with a blossoming career in radio and a beautiful wife at home, who can blame Roddick for not wanting to slog another year on the pro tour.

Roddick’s revelation, which came on his 30th birthday, upstaged a day filled with interesting matches. For many, JW Tsonga offered a legitimate threat to Andy Murray in the quarters. The Scot won’t have to worry about Tsonga anymore because the Frenchman was destroyed in four sets by Martin Klizan 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.

“Today I was not in good shape,” said Tsonga. “I didn’t play good tennis. It seemed like I couldn’t hit the ball enough hard to put my opponent out of position. I don’t really know why it was like this today, but sometimes it’s happen with me.”

After taking the second set, Tsonga was done. Too long a summer? Too much tennis? Tsonga played that 25-23 epic at the Olympics in beating Milos Raonic and he also made the semifinals last weekend in Winston Salem. It sounds to me like it added up. And that’s to bad.

A guy still showing no signs of weariness or disinterest is Roger Federer. The GOAT of scheduling breezed in his night match crushing Bjorn Phau 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Having just turned 31 a few weeks ago, Federer is a year older than Roddick yet the Swiss has been phenomenal since hitting 30.

“A bit of a shock to be honest,” Federer said of Roddick’s retirement on ESPN. “I thought maybe he was going to get past this US Open and maybe play one more year, so obviously a disappointment, but I think big celebrations for him because he’s had a wonderful career. He told me one hour before the press conference and he seemed extremely happy and at peace and excited, so I wish him the best US Open he’s ever had.”

Federer moves on to face Fernando Verdasco on Saturday.

Earlier on Ashe, Mardy Fish overcame a 2-set hole to beat Nikolay Davydenko. The Russian, twice a semifinalist at the US Open, had Fish on the hook before he too expired under a hot sun.

Fish’s comeback was the 10th such 2-set reversal already in the tournament marking a new US Open record.

“I was tight, I was nervous,” admitted the 30-year-old Fish. “I wasn’t playing well, and he was. That’s why I was down two sets to love.

“I got stronger and stronger. I felt like he got more and more tired, was sort of playing at a pretty high end in the first couple sets. It sort of tailed off. I felt like I was holding serve fine apart from the first set. Once I was able to get into his service games, really create havoc with his service games. He was going to struggle. That was the case.”

Also, Marin Cilic survived a second straight 5-set win and Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Nicolas Almagro were also 5-set winners.

In addition to Fish’s win Americans James Blake, Jack Sock and Sam Querrey all coasted to wins. Raonic also advanced into the third round after straight setting Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Tomorrow in what could be warmer conditions the last remaining second round matches will be contested. That means defending champ Novak Djkovic against Dutra Silva in what should be another week one one-sided affair.

The better matches involve Americans. Juan Martin Del Potro takes on feisty Ryan Williams, John Isner should get through Nieminen and the Janko Tipsarevic-Brian Baker clash could be a good one. California college kids Steve Johnson and Bradley Klahn will have their hands full with Ernests Gulbis and Richard Gasquet, respectively.

Tennis Channel has coverage at 11am followed by ESPN2 at 1pm.

FRIDAY US OPEN SCHEDULE

Arthur Ashe Stadium 11:00 AM Start Time
1. Women’s Singles – 3rd Round
Varvara Lepchenko (USA)[31] v. Samantha Stosur (AUS)[7]
Not Before:1:00 PM
2. Men’s Singles – 2nd Round
Rogerio Dutra Silva (BRA) v. Novak Djokovic (SRB)[2]
3. Women’s Singles – 3rd Round
Maria Sharapova (RUS)[3] v. Mallory Burdette (USA)

Arthur Ashe Stadium 7:00 PM Start Time
1. Men’s Singles – 2nd Round
Andy Roddick (USA)[20] v. Bernard Tomic (AUS)
2. Women’s Singles – 3rd Round
Victoria Azarenka (BLR)[1] v. Jie Zheng (CHN)[28]

Louis Armstrong Stadium 11:00 AM Start Time
1. Women’s Singles – 3rd Round
Na Li (CHN)[9] v. Laura Robson (GBR)
2. Men’s Singles – 2nd Round
Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG)[7] v. Ryan Harrison (USA)
3. Men’s Singles – 2nd Round
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) v. John Isner (USA)[9]
This match may be moved to Arthur Ashe Stadium.Not Before:3:30 PM
4. Women’s Doubles – 2nd Round
Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (POL)[15]/Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)[15] v. Serena Williams (USA) / Venus Williams (USA)

Also Check Out:
Henin Again Announces Retirement from Tennis After 2011 Australian Open Loss
Elena Dementieva Announces Her Retirement from Tennis
Andy Roddick Announces Retirement, US Open Will Be His Final Event
Martina Hingis Announces Retirement After Testing Positive for Cocaine
Doha Big Money, Oh Kei: Tennis-X Funk/Trunk

Filed under: US Open
Tags: Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Mardy Fish, Nikolay Davydenko, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer

19 Comments for Federer Romps, Tsonga Upset As Roddick Announces Retirement At US Open

Michael Says:

It is unfortunate that Roddick has preferred to hang in his boots so early. He is still around 30 and I believe that there are some years of Tennis left in him. He could have concentrated on hard courts and grass – two areas of his strength. Nevertheless, he has taken a decision and we should respect it. Roddick is an unlucky player to have born in the era of Roger. As much as I like Roger, I would go on to say that he spoiled his career. But that is sport. You need to be competitive to achieve the best. The best I have seen from Roddick was the way he gave a fright to Roger in the 2009 Wimbledon, a match he should have won honestly. But luck didn’t turn his way and he yet again came second best to Roger. I wish Roddick all the very best in his new career when he leaves Tennis.

August 31st, 2012 at 12:17 am

Sienna Says:

Well basically Hewitt was hit harder or even hard.
But both I think have battled though and showed on several occasions that their #1 was no fluke. without Fed they would have been on par with becker edberg wilander era.
I even think that had those player been more succesfull in slams the entry room for Nadal and later djokovic would have been harder. Nadal could now ease his way to the top of the ranking much easier because Fed destroyed them the way he did.

August 31st, 2012 at 9:51 am

RZ Says:

“Tsonga Upset As Roddick Announces Retirement” Maybe Andy filled him in early, and Tsonga was so distraught that he didn’t have it in him to win his match! LOL.

August 31st, 2012 at 10:21 am

jane Says:

RZ, lol, yeah that title is a little misleading isn’t it? :)

August 31st, 2012 at 11:12 am

Sienna Says:

ofcourse Hewitt could never be a fluke but Roddick neither with only a couple of weeks #1

August 31st, 2012 at 11:29 am

andrea Says:

tsonga, tosnga, tsonga. i’m so glad i don’t have my heart invested in you as a player because you are so damn frustrating.

ESPN…enough already on coverage on the american players…did you know that ni la and laura robson are playing in the third set and that we might want to see that? we all know roddick is retiring….it’s a brand new day.

August 31st, 2012 at 1:10 pm

jane Says:

andrea, and to add -ESPN, enough with the incessant, inane booth chatter too! *rolls eyes*

August 31st, 2012 at 1:12 pm

trufan Says:

I like Roddick a lot, but don’t understand what this fuss is all about. Roddick was a good player – but was no Becker or Edberg.

Roddick had a great serve, but that’s it. His movement was always suspect, especially until a couple of years ago when he finally dropped 15 pounds. He was never consistent from the baseline, and never really had a great net game. While he was certainly much better than big servers like Karlovic, he never really had another trick up his sleeve other than his serve. So when that started to go away, he really struggled.

I think he was actually quite lucky he at least got the one USO in 2003 and the No. 1 ranking for a short time. Fed had not fully hit his stride then, and Nalbandian took him out in the 4th round.

Hewitt was luckier, since he exploited the gap between Sampras and Federer quite well. He didn’t have too many tricks either – lots of determination and quick movement on the court. Don’t you remember the 2004 USO final when Fed fed him two bagels in the slam final?

I think Safin had FAR more talent and ability than either of these two guys – but he got beaten by his own indiscipline. Safin was one of the few players who could beat Federer even when Federer was playing well.

August 31st, 2012 at 1:27 pm

trufan Says:

And Roddick was just a pathetic 9-10 at the French open – just one 4th round in 10 tries! Even Sampras was better than that.

Roddick’s game was too one dimensional.

August 31st, 2012 at 1:30 pm

Kimberly Says:

trufan, i give Roddick credit, he was part of an era, him Fed hewitt safin, fed has transcended into the next era and the rest didn’t. it is sort of putting to bed that era with his retirement, when Hewitt retires thats it

August 31st, 2012 at 1:32 pm

Humble Rafa Says:

The balding one looking back and looking forward..

One US Open but 2 US Opens while looking at Brookly.

August 31st, 2012 at 2:19 pm

jane Says:

Nalbandian and JCF are still around, but yep that era is almost over. I think Safin was definitely naturally talented out of the bunch.

trufan Roddick also used to have a very wicked forehand, but he took the flatness out of it and started adding spin which took the sting out of that forehand. Not sure why.

With Fed it was a match up thing, as both Nalbandian and Hewitt could beat Fed too.

August 31st, 2012 at 2:28 pm

trufan Says:

Nalbandian and Hewitt could beat Fed until 2003. Not after that. He creamed both of them – Hewitt 15 times in a row, and Nalbandian 6 or 7 times.

August 31st, 2012 at 2:56 pm

Maso Says:

What happened to Roddick’s serve over the years? That thing used to be absolutely monstrous. Not necessarily the most varied, but it was wicked fast. Combined with his old flatter forehand, it was a pretty deadly combination. Pretty much his only combination since he never could back up that deadly serve with good net play, which is unfortunate.

Muller giving Hewitt a hard time, now, leading 2 sets to 1! Hope Leyton makes it out of this one.

August 31st, 2012 at 3:53 pm

jane Says:

Oops put this post on wrong thread, so copying it here: That’s definitely true about Hewitt trufan, but Nalby was never beaten by Fed more than 4 times consecutively, and he still has a respectable 8-11 H2H versus him.

Maso, certainly in recent months Roddick’s had some shoulder issues which I assume would impede his serve somewhat. But maybe players started to read it better too?

August 31st, 2012 at 4:54 pm

Sienna Says:

trufan Says:
I like Roddick a lot, but don’t understand what this fuss is all about. Roddick was a good player – but was no Becker or Edberg.

When people are winning slams they get more confident and history will look different. So him no being a 1 slam winner sits down against the possible 4 / 5 times slam winner if thing would have gone his way.

But hey things stand as they are we cannot change history. All I meant to say was if Fed would not have been in this era. The era of Safin, Hewitt Roddick and a lesser Fed would have been as competitive as Becker, Edberg, Wilander era.
People always bring down Feds era because there where no slam winners… Fed was the reason for that not the other players.

August 31st, 2012 at 4:59 pm

juljo724 Says:

Sienna, I will agree with you on one thing…..we cannot change history. As such, the words “if, would have, should have and could have” also do not belong when referring to history. Many things “could have” happened if fed had peaked at a different time or made to every final or won a few more FO’s, or “if” certain players weren’t around, or “would have” turned out differently if he hadn’t had mono or back problems or twins, etc…

I don’t begrudge fed his records. He earned them just like all the other tennis players in the field over the last 100 years have earned theirs. Fed has records no one has broken and others have records fed hasn’t broken….but we all know the old saying…”records are meant to be broken.” Don’t begrudge another tennis player the respect they deserve (after all, they are the ones out there doing all the work, we just type on a keyboard.) Roddick has been a force and an inspiration to many American young players for many years and deserves that respect.

August 31st, 2012 at 6:25 pm

Mike Says:

Congretulations to Andy Roddick, true hero and a great embassidor for Tennis….#wonderful career

Couldnt have choosen a more better time…#goodbloke

August 31st, 2012 at 8:51 pm

Mike Says:

I know they live their own seperate lives now….

But I sure hope ‘Mandy Moore’ could go watch her #FirstLove and good friend ‘Andy Roddick’ play his last matches at 2012 US OPEN….

August 31st, 2012 at 10:55 pm

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