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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