Reeling Roddick Calls First Round Beijing Loss “Unacceptable”; Hingis To Return With Federer?
by Sean Randall | October 3rd, 2011, 1:15 pm
  • 23 Comments

Andy Roddick tough times continued last night in Beijing. The former No. 1 who is slowly slipping off the tennis radar suffered another blow losing to Kevin Anderson 6-4, 7-5.

“If I break twice and don’t win a set that says my serve isn’t on,” Roddick said. “It’s unacceptable.”

But that’s been the new Roddick the last few years. Take a little off the serve, play the percentages and more often than not get burned by bigger, better hitters like Anderson.

Roddick had a decent US Open reaching the quarterfinals, but otherwise Andy has been a non factor since his February title in Memphis.

Now ranked No. 15, Roddick is starting to get those retirement questions in press conferences, and based on his reaction he’s not happy to answer. “I think you should retire,” Roddick fired back last night before ending the interview.

Roddick has Shanghai next week as he tries to stay in the Top 20.

JW Tsonga, Tomas Berdych, Gilles Simon and Nicolas Almagro are your top seeds in Beijing. Two-time champion Novak Djokovic was scheduled to play but withdrew as did Gael Monfils who will also miss Shanghai with a knee injury.

Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva and Ana Ivanovic were also winners.

The new American No. 1, Mardy Fish, had a better evening in Tokyo defeating the future hope Ryan Harrison once again in three sets.

Fish is the fourth seed there behind top seed Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and David Ferrer. Rafa opens tonight against Go Soeda. Murray, who just won Bangkok yesterday, plays Marcos Baghdatis tomorrow.

And this story from Australia suggests that Martina Hingis will return to tennis for the 2012 Australian Open. The hope for the former No. 1 is spark a senior event and to partner up with countryman Roger Federer in the mixed doubles competition, with an eventual goal of teaming for August London Olympics.

So Federer is now going to play mixed doubles in Australia? Has he already given up hope on the singles title?

Roddick and Serena have apparently also expressed their intent on playing the mixed in Australia, and with the way Roddick’s playing maybe a second career as a doubles specialist might be the way to go.

TUESDAY BEIJING SCHEDULE

NATIONAL TENNIS STADIUM start 12:30 pm
[3] V Zvonareva (RUS) vs K Zakopalova (CZE) – WTA
Not Before 3:00 PM
[1] J Tsonga (FRA) vs G Dimitrov (BUL) – ATP
[3] T Berdych (CZE) vs J Melzer (AUT) – ATP
Not Before 7:30 PM
[1] C Wozniacki (DEN) vs J Gajdosova (AUS) – WTA
T Bellucci (BRA) vs J Ferrero (ESP) – ATP

TUESDAY TOKYO SCHEDULE

CENTRE COURT start 12:00 noon
M Raonic (CAN) vs [WC] Y Sugita (JPN)
D Nalbandian (ARG) vs L Rosol (CZE)
K Nishikori (JPN) vs [3] D Ferrer (ESP)
[1] R Nadal (ESP) vs [WC] G Soeda (JPN)

UPDATED w/video – Tom


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Hingis a Player and a ‘Playa’ in WTA Comeback in July
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23 Comments for Reeling Roddick Calls First Round Beijing Loss “Unacceptable”; Hingis To Return With Federer?

Humble Rafa Says:

Roddick and Serena have apparently also expressed their intent on playing the mixed in Australia,
—
what happens when they start losing? Does anyone know what happens to Serena’s partners when they start losing.

I am worried for Andy. He has other options.

October 3rd, 2011 at 2:48 pm


Patty Says:

More stupid questions from journalists who hit a player when they are down.Andy must be hurting at the loss but i wish he had shown some composure and just ignored the question rather than get angry… but then that’s Andy!!!

October 3rd, 2011 at 4:03 pm


gypsy Says:

Love Andy’s response. Stupid reporters, commentators, they love to kick a person when they are down. So mean, all of them

October 3rd, 2011 at 4:40 pm


alison hodge Says:

ok hes not the most diplomatic person there is,and i suppose him getting angry shows how much he still cares,the day he stops getting angry is the day he should retire,however maybe he should rise above it for a change,he is his own worst enemy,lighten up andy dont give them the amunition.

October 3rd, 2011 at 4:41 pm


Kimmi Says:

K.anderson is always a tough customer. didn’t he beat murray too sometime this year? Roddick needs to work on his serve now that he is getting hold. he has a good serve to take him to the tie breaker on all set if he cannot break..he needs to learn to use his weapons wisely.

October 3rd, 2011 at 7:00 pm


Kimmi Says:

s/b roddick getting old not “hold”. lol

October 3rd, 2011 at 7:03 pm


Kimberly Says:

stosur and kirilenko keep meeting, split the last two. tight matches both.

October 3rd, 2011 at 7:24 pm


Kimmi Says:

kirilenko uses the right tactic to play stosur. I watched part of their USo match. she goes on stosur backhand almost like rafa to fed backhand. it works for her.

October 3rd, 2011 at 7:30 pm


Kimmi Says:

after her first round loss at beijing yesterday, Li Na getting some slack from the chinese media and chinese fans.

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/03102011/58/li-na-endures-storm-criticism.html

October 3rd, 2011 at 7:36 pm


Kimberly Says:

Is it surprising she is getting slack the media suck. Look at roddicl ten years in the top ten and he has to answer to that asshole. Good for him for setting the guy straight

October 3rd, 2011 at 9:31 pm


PJ Says:

I’m confused. Andy Roddick is getting up in age (in tennis standards). Other than the quarters at The USOpen, he has made little impact this year. Why can’t someone ask if he is thinking of retirement? It isn’t as if Andy is the first or last person this will happen to.

October 4th, 2011 at 7:03 am


Patty Says:

Funny that the media neglected to mention it was the last question of the presser and it was announced as such so Andy answered it and left. What’s the big deal other than a big kafuffle has been made out of nothing!!! AGAIN!!!!

October 4th, 2011 at 7:56 am


Patty Says:

And as for Hingis returning to AO and possibly pairing with Roger at the 2012 Olympics.I say let’s wait and see and wish her all the best in her comeback!!!

October 4th, 2011 at 7:58 am


Humble Rafa Says:

Roger is going to play singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the Olympics. That is BS.

Even just playing singles, with the compressed schedule is difficult. Playing 3 events is non-sense.

It may be okay for people who spend their life inside an egg, but not for the Arrogant One.

October 4th, 2011 at 9:10 am


Deborah Says:

I wonder how the tennis world would have reacted, if that was Roger’s response in a presser, even if it was the last question.

October 4th, 2011 at 9:31 am


jane Says:

@ Deborah ^ Or Novak, or Muzza, or Rafa … eeeeeek, they’d be hung, drawn and quartered. ;) ha ha ha. I guess it’s expected from Roddick, given his press conference history; he has always been one for quick comebacks and so forth.

Good point, though, Patty – why didn’t the media mention this was *after* Andy had already answered some questions? It almost seems like this was the first question and then he bailed. But that’s typical – things are always taken out of context and hyped to make a story.

Also, good point PJ – nothing really wrong with asking a guy who’s in the later stages of his career if he is thinking of retiring. It’s pretty common. Fed gets that question all the time, and it seems to me that he’s been hearing for a year or two already. So in a way, I guess it’s expected and Roddick shouldn’t be that offened – although there is little doubt it’s likely annoying to hear it after a first round loss… and also repeatedly.

October 4th, 2011 at 11:05 am


Jack Lewis Says:

To those who didn’t bother listening to the question. It was basically will you or Federer retire first. How incredibly stupid was that question? Why would Roddick bother answering that one. How could he even answer it if he wanted to? He answered it the best possible way. That idiot “reporter” should retire since he’s brain is already on vacation. Geez.

October 4th, 2011 at 12:31 pm


JD Says:

Some of the journalists are extremely rude. At least this question was somewhat related to the sport. If you remember the journalist (read moron) asking Djokovic at RG this year questions that have nothing to do with tennis. I think it would be appropriate for that person to loose a license – if they carry any anyways.

October 4th, 2011 at 2:21 pm


MMT Says:

I think Roddick was well within his rights to lambast that imbecile who asked such a stupid question – as far as I can tell his response was, in fact, mild. He should have told him to go to hell, and that when he retires is none of his business until he, in fact, retires.

I don’t know what it is about journalists that they feel the right or the need to pressure players into retirement. What’s it to you if the player wants to play long past, what is in your opinion, his best?

He just reached a US Open quarterfinal – he has a tournament victory more recent than Roger Federer, and despite all the criticism, he’s still ranked in the top 20? And I don’t want to hear any bull about damaging his legacy – his legacy will be his record, not how long he played after his best.

Name me one player who “damaged” their legacy by playing too long. This is nothing more than just lazy, feckless and unscrupulous reporters looking to manufacture news.

October 4th, 2011 at 9:30 pm


billyboy512 Says:

poor thing

October 4th, 2011 at 10:28 pm


Lily Says:

Perfect answer Roddick for a stupid question :)

October 6th, 2011 at 7:36 am


madmax Says:

Yeah, I feel sorry for Roddick. He has given American tennis a boost for 10 years and only up until this year has he slipped outside of the top ten, Mardy taking over. Roddick has always been funny in press conferences and wears his heart on his sleeve.

The journalist was an idiot to ask him that question. Some people should have a bit more respect for him. It think he handled it well. You could see his facial expression change and he could have let rip, but he didn’t. He mulled it over in his head and then had the final word. Then left. Perfect.

October 9th, 2011 at 10:01 am

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