Andy Roddick Accepts Wildcard into Atlanta

It is too bad he could not play in Indianapolis the past two years. That may have meant enough revenue that this spot on the calendar would still be in Indy. Atlanta is a great tennis city though and Isner (UGA player), Roddick and Georgia native Robby Ginepri ought to make this first year get off to a great start. I do hope to see an ATP event in Chicago one day.

July 15th, 2010 at 10:48 pm

roddick making sure he has enough match play going to the us open..not repeating the same mistake like french open and wimbledon. good move.

July 15th, 2010 at 10:57 pm

Probably looking to pick up points too to ensure he is in top 8 and doesn’t have to face any of the big dogs too early. Any word on delpo return?

July 16th, 2010 at 1:44 pm

Del Potro said on Twitter that he is going better and he will to return in PariBercy Master, and he will participate in the Davis Cup

July 16th, 2010 at 8:55 pm

That is good news for delpo fans..including myself. davis cup return..wow. nalbandian will definetly need a hand.

July 16th, 2010 at 9:04 pm

I just hope he doesn’t come back too soon and re-injure the wrist.

Don’t know if you Nadal fans have seen this or not:

Q&A with Rafael Nadal
The eight-time Grand Slam champion talks history, Federer, existence of God

PRINT EMAIL Buzz up! FACEBOOK DIGG TWITTER RSS SHARE
Just 24 years old, Rafael Nadal has bagged titles at the French Open (five), Wimbledon (two) and the Australian Open (one).
Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

Shortly after he won his second Wimbledon title in June, Rafael Nadal met with a small group of reporters from international publications, including Sports Illustrated. Some outtakes from that Q&A session:

How much does history motivate you? Do you know, for instance, whose record you tied today?

The history is there for sure, being part of these players — Connors, Agassi, Lendl — it’s amazing. Just an honor to be close to these players. But I am 24 years old and it’s very difficult to talk about the history now, where I am. In my opinion the Grand Slams are not the only thing to value … I don’t have a lot of the information, but what Lendl did at the Masters was amazing. We have to see. We have to value different things, no? We have to see when I finish my career where I am. Right now I am very happy — I never thought I can be here with 18 Masters 1000 and eight Grand Slams.

Does it mean anything to you that at the same age, you’re ahead of where Roger Federer was with Grand Slams?

No, I think every career is different. For me, it’s amazing winning here on grass, winning on hard court in Australia. I hope to do well at the U.S. Open for sure — I’ve reached semifinals the last two years. For Roger, I think … maybe it’s easier than for me because I am especially [good] on clay and we have only one [clay-court Slam]. I can play very well on grass, too. But hard court players, they have more chances than the clay-court specialists. They have three. We have one. For sure I can play well on grass … but the chances are less.

Do you still think of yourself as a clay-court specialist, even now that you’ve won two Wimbledon titles?

I don’t feel like a clay-court specialist. Not now and not even when I didn’t win [on other surfaces]. In 2005, I won in Montreal, very difficult. I won in Madrid [when it was an indoor event] on a very fast surface, too. I didn’t play my best tennis at hardcourt or grass Grand Slams at that moment, but I was able to do it. I think I am a complete player. I can play well on all the surfaces. For me, the clay might be easiest but I am not a specialist on clay. I have five finals at Roland Garros. I have four here.

There are people who say Roger is over the hill, that he won’t come to the top again. What’s your opinion?

My opinion is that everyone said the same two years ago and after that he won in Australia, he won in Roland Garros, he won Wimbledon, he won the U.S. Open, so we will see what happens. Roger is good enough, he has enough experience. For sure it’s difficult what he did the last seven, eight years, impossible to repeat for another player … Roger is going to be there, I’m sure of it.

You talk about your difficulties, what is not easy for you. Is it more difficult to face problems on court or in your private life? Which, in your opinion, was the biggest problem you ever faced?

You’re talking about the divorce of my parents?

No. Everything.

I think the tennis is only a game. You can lose. You can win. After that? In life, there are much more important things than tennis. I know that for sure … I didn’t have a lot of problems in my private life and I feel very lucky for that. But you always have things. For sure, the tennis right is an important pat of my life — it’s my work — and I have a few health problems for the last few years, especially last year. But I feel lucky. Even then I felt, “You’ve won six Grand Slams, you’ve won a lot of titles. You’re 23 years old. Be calm and be happy. What you have already is a lot.”

Q: Do you believe in God? We see football players crossing themselves. You don’t do that. Do you do praying?

A: It’s hard to say, “I don’t believe in God.” I would love to know if God exists. But it’s a very difficult thing for me to believe. I don’t know. It’s private and I don’t want to speak about it, but I say, “If God exists, you don’t need [to cross yourself] or pray.” If God exists, he’s intelligent enough to [do] the important things, the right things.

Can you describe glory?

The glory is being happy. The glory is not winning here or winning there. The glory is enjoying practicing, enjoy every day, enjoying to work hard, trying to be a better player than before.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jon_wertheim/07/16/nadal.interview/index.html#ixzz0tsuKjkms

July 16th, 2010 at 11:01 pm

Brilliant interview isn’t it? He just sounds so nice, well balanced and, horrible word but, grounded. I know grendel is now going to tick me off about believing what they say in interviews, but…..

July 17th, 2010 at 1:06 am

soderling in trouble against ferrer. lost first set 6-4. has struggled the whole week but manage to scrap through.

but today will be tougher though..

c’mon soda

July 17th, 2010 at 8:07 am

soda breaks for the first time in the match. took second set 6-3. go go go!

July 17th, 2010 at 8:42 am

breaak! soda early break in the third. go go go!

July 17th, 2010 at 8:53 am

second break. this should seal it now. ferrer imploding.

c’mon soda finish him

July 17th, 2010 at 8:59 am

He isn’t imploding, the guy has a broken blister!

July 17th, 2010 at 9:06 am

yay! soda through to the final. came back from a set down to beat ferrer in three set. 4-6 6-3 6-2 congrats. one match more to defend his title

now improving H2H against ferrer to 7-2

July 17th, 2010 at 9:12 am

ah charlotte, i did not know about the blister, that explains then.

July 17th, 2010 at 9:13 am

You’re welcome Kimmi. Right on his left big toe, the skin was hanging loose, horrible, he did receive on court treatment.

July 17th, 2010 at 9:21 am

now robredo vs almagro

robredo beat verdasco yesterday, lets see how he does against almagro

July 17th, 2010 at 9:40 am

hmmm match is all almagro at the moment. 2 breaks for amalgro in this first set, at this rate it should end very quickly.

July 17th, 2010 at 9:57 am

ah another break for almagro to seal the set. 6-1

July 17th, 2010 at 10:07 am

poor robredo, almagro is just too good. he is even getting net cords in his favour..ha. another break.

July 17th, 2010 at 10:19 am

almagro bt robredo 6-1 6-3

final will be almagro vs soderling. tough one to call

July 17th, 2010 at 10:43 am

on the contrary margot, I agree with you. I think Nadal is more candid than usual in this interview, and I comment on it in the other thread, not realising that Fot had posted the interview here. There is no doubt, Nadal is a thoughtful, well balanced person. But he also is very ambitious in a way which people don’t always appreciate, and it is that aspect which I comment on in the other thread. And before anyone objects, I am not criticising the ambition – that’s normal – just pointing out that it’s there alright.

Great news about del Potro – but like Fot, I hope it isn’t too soon. These injuries are the very devil…..

July 17th, 2010 at 12:45 pm

Kimmi

Did Almagro look very good? He strikes me as an amazing player who somehow doesn’t reach his potential. It’s always difficult to tell – but can he not beat Federer and Nadal, for instance, despite giving them considerable trouble simply because, in the end, they are too good for him? Or is it because deep down, he doesn’t expect to win against them? I should think the match against Soderling tomorrow will be very interesting. Who expects to win?

July 17th, 2010 at 2:32 pm

I love that Roddick is playing Atlanta, and I look for him to have a HUGE summer!

July 17th, 2010 at 2:37 pm

grendel – almagro looked good but i don’t think robredo is a good gage for his perfomance today. Robredo was just not consistent…surprising to see he beat verdasco handily yesterday. (verdasco is another story all together though)

Almagro has some weapons. but i think his best surface is clay like a lot of spaniards. i was impressed with him during the clay season this year. he gave nadal a run for his money in both madrid and RG. But i will have to agree with you there…i don’t know if his issue is confidence or fitness. against top players he normally plays well in the first set then seem to run out of gas as the matches goes on.

he hang on with nadal at RG though. two tiebreaks and a 6-4 third set. he just needs to beat them.

July 17th, 2010 at 3:33 pm

I was listening to the commentator during the almagro vs robredo match. he was torn between the two tomorrow (almagro/soderling). their overall H2H is 3-2 in favour of soderling but 1-2 on clay in favour of almagro.

soderling has not been his vintage self in this tournament. scraped thru almost all his matches. We will see who come through tomorrow.

my fav is soda in this match-up.

July 17th, 2010 at 3:38 pm

ah just remembered. almagro beat soderling in madrid this year in straights 6-4 7-5..interesting!

July 17th, 2010 at 3:47 pm

Looking forward to the soderling/allegro match. They are both baashers and oddly I think sod moves better than almagro. I don’t say that with confidence i’ll have to see them side by side. Also happy for monfils in gstaad!

July 17th, 2010 at 10:21 pm

Spell check is mean. Allegro should say almagro!

July 17th, 2010 at 10:25 pm

dari – happy for la monf too. hope he wins tomorrow.

July 17th, 2010 at 11:15 pm

kimmi: watched Andy’s ad for USOpen. My, my, he does scrub up nicely these days. Also liked the giggle, shows he doesn’t take himself too seriously.
“He looks so fine…
Like a flamingo……”

July 18th, 2010 at 2:02 am

margooot hahaha exactly!

July 18th, 2010 at 8:20 am

is anybody watchind soda vs almagro? the match has started

July 18th, 2010 at 8:21 am

it is a hitting contest at the moment. both hitting the ball as hard as possible. Almagro saved 2 break points. soderling serving first serve at 80%.

July 18th, 2010 at 8:38 am

soderling made three uncharacteristinc errors to give almagro 2 break points. Soda saves them with big serves. then double faults soda..another break points. Big serve from soda to save it. error on the FH from soda ..another break point this time almagro takes it thans to the net FH from soda.

Bad bad game.

July 18th, 2010 at 8:56 am

kimmi, I’m @ a groomsman’s brunch w/ the bf and things are moving pretty slowly. I’ll check here and live scores occasionally for updates thanks!

July 18th, 2010 at 9:01 am

another net FH from soda, smashes the racket into the ground. Almagro takes first set.

July 18th, 2010 at 9:01 am

hi dari – great game but my guy soda is just not there hope he fights back

July 18th, 2010 at 9:03 am

ah 0-40 almagro. C’mon soda break him

July 18th, 2010 at 9:05 am

wow great rally, eventually he breaks.

July 18th, 2010 at 9:08 am

Wow, no one checked me on the monfils/ GSTAAD. I guess when you have bastad and stuttgard swirling thru your brain, you get gstaad! Looks like sod is roaring at the beginning of the second set.

July 18th, 2010 at 9:09 am

very poor break point conversion from soda 1 of 7

July 18th, 2010 at 9:19 am

hahah dari gstaad starts in 40 minutes i think.

soda 4-1 in the second.

July 18th, 2010 at 9:22 am

very tight game from soda to serve for the set..few errors give almagro a break point..but thanks to big FH and big second serve to close out the game.

we go to a decider.

July 18th, 2010 at 9:38 am

almagro looks the more comfortable in this set. soda making too many errors..still on serve though.

soda 0-30 oh noooo

July 18th, 2010 at 9:57 am

0-40 not good. can almagro break here

soda save 2, one more to go

duece..nervy game

July 18th, 2010 at 9:59 am

FH miss from soda..another break point

almagro breaks. thats it for soda i am afraid

July 18th, 2010 at 10:01 am

5-2 almagro. there goes the racket (again). Soda gets a point pelnaty when he starts to serve. Things are not getting easier for soda

July 18th, 2010 at 10:07 am

soda imploding..2 match points for almagro.

saved one by a lucky net cord

then double faults to give the match to almagro

almagro wins 7-5 3-6 6-2 congrats.

July 18th, 2010 at 10:11 am

dari – GSTAAD is on and monfils is losing it big time. 6-2 first set montanes.

so monfils has an injury. calls a trainer. looks like an ankle. monfils and injuries..too many imo.

he wasn’t moving at all at the end of that first set…big question is, will he finish this match?

July 18th, 2010 at 10:56 am

aha monfils retires. i saw that coming i am afraid.

now what will happen to la monf..the busy hard court season is coming. needs to get better..soon.

July 18th, 2010 at 11:15 am

Thx for updates kimmi, I get done with the wedding stuff to find a couple surprises! It’s always a little sad when the home guy doesn’t win his country’s tournament and when there is a retirement in the final.

July 18th, 2010 at 7:14 pm

Soderling didn’t look great the whole tournament. I had a feeling almagro would win especially since he looked so sharp in madrid and RG. Apparently he is playing again in hamberg this week and so is ferrer. Don’t these people ever get tired.

Roddick should win this one and hopefully boost his confidence. I’m certain he will never get back to number one but maybe another grand slam or two.

Although, in early days my gut says USO 2010 belongs to nadal or murray.

July 18th, 2010 at 9:35 pm

@Kimmi,

Thanks for keeping the blog happening while it’s seems to be not. Info on Monfils and Soda was great and your play by plays are great. Why is it that unless your a RAFA-ite or Fed lover you can’t love the rest of the happenings? Not a true tennis fan. An “infatuation” fan is more likely.

As an example, I don’t care about Rafa’s golf game…LOL, and the you tube post for “Rafa fans” only was hilarious :). The Fed stuff about his vacation was just as bad. Leave these guys alone for a month, Geez!

So Mem, where are you? I expect you to come out on this post :)

Kimmi, you do not go unread! You go girl and thanks!

Maxi, Duro, Huh, Von, Jane, Margot, FoT, Polo, grendal, Aliesh, Anna, etc., C’MON! Bring it! Do I have to go on reporting duty? Let’s stir the pot!

Shout out to all :) :)

Out

July 18th, 2010 at 10:54 pm

Hi Skeeze – I am peeking in, but sort busy with summer stuff. Maybe I will get to watch a little tennis this coming weekend. Kimmi – I echo Skeeze’s comment; thanks for the play-by-plays on the weekend’s matches. It’s nice to know what happened even if I couldn’t be here to cheer with ya!

Skeeze – WTF! reports are always appreciated. : )

July 19th, 2010 at 1:33 pm