US Open 2012 daily report: Roddick announces retirement
The major stories from the fourth day of the 2012 US Open at Flushing Meadows, New York...
The fourth day of the US Open was marked by the announcement that Andy Roddick will retire after the tournament. The former American No.1, who won the US Open in 2003, celebrated his 30th birthday today, and admitted that “it was time.”
“I'll make this short and sweet,” Roddick said to an assembled room that included his wife Brooklyn and a host of USTA glitterati. “I've decided that this is going to be my last tournament.
“I just feel like it's time. I don't know that I'm healthy enough or committed enough to go another year. I've always wanted to, in a perfect world, finish at this event. I have a lot of family and friends here. I've thought all year that I would know when I got to this tournament. When I was playing my first round, I knew.”
“I've always, for whatever my faults have been, felt like I've never done anything halfway. Probably the first time in my career that I can sit here and say I'm not sure that I can put everything into it physically and emotionally. I don't know that I want to disrespect the game by coasting home. I had plans to play a smaller schedule next year. But the more I thought about it, I think you either got to be all in or not.”
Roddick admitted that although he was certain he would come to miss the tennis, he was excited about the next chapter, the new challenges.
“We announced yesterday or the day before we're building, with my foundation, a youth tennis and learning center in Austin. I'd like to be hands on with that and not see it periodically. I'd like to be kind of on site every day. There's some other projects, kind of side projects, that I've been doing. Those excite me a lot right now. So I'm looking forward to it.”
“I’ve known Andy for so many years since we were 10 years old,” Serena Williams commented. “I was hoping he would change his mind, so we have to give so much support to him, I love him and we all love him here, he’s been so amazing for American men’s tennis, so I’m sad to see another legendary face gone.”
“Andy has been an outstanding ambassador for our sport and our country, always carrying himself with the character and class that define a champion,” USTA Chairman of the board Jon Vegosen said. “We could not be more proud of Andy and all that he has accomplished in his brilliant career, and we wish him every success and happiness in his retirement from the pro game.”
As the stories go, there could be no more fitting place for Roddick to bid farewell than New York.
“It's meant a lot,” Roddick said. It's the highest of highs and probably the lowest of lows also. It's certainly never been boring. I've always enjoyed the energy. I feel like each Grand Slam is almost a microcosm of the place it's played in. This is a show. It's New York City in every way. I'm glad that I've been a very, very small part of it.”
But he’s got at least one more match to play, Bernard Tomic, 7pm tomorrow night. Don’t miss it.
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10 is the magic number. At least that’s the number of matches at this year’s US Open where a player has come from two sets to love down and gone on to win. Mardy Fish became the 10th today with a 4-6, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 recovery against Nikolay Davydenko to reach the third round. The American hit 46 winners and 43 unforced errors during the three hours and 26 minute epic.
“You swing a little bit more freely when you’re down like that, but I was tight, nervous, I wasn’t playing well, and he was, and that’s why I was down two sets to love,” Fish said.
“I’m certainly mentally stronger now than I was. It’s a big stage to win on, to be able to come back against a great player, he’s capable of playing really good tennis. I don’t like five setters very much, you want to stay away from the longer matches, give yourself some room. I felt better and better once I was able to get my feet into it.”
Nicolas Almagro, Marin Cilic and Feliciano Lopez also came out the right end of five-setters, against Philipp Petzschner, Daniel Brands and Pablo Andujar respectively.
On the ladies’ side of the comeback trail, Agnieszka Radwanska won 11 straight games to redeem herself against Carla Suarez Navarro, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-0, having trailed by a set and 1-3.
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Roddick’s retirement aside, American tennis continued to show itself in rude health as 19-year-old Jack Sock advanced to the third round with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Flavio Cipolla. A wild card for the third straight year, Sock last year became the first USTA Boys’ 18 champion in 16 years to win his first round match by beating Marc Gicquel. He also, most improbably, won the mixed doubles title last year with Melanie Oudin.
Sloane Stephens, meanwhile, equalled last year’s accomplishment of reaching the third round at Flushing Meadows by coming back from behind against German qualifier Tatjana Malek, winning 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, and Serena Williams cruised through against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, 6-2, 6-4.
James Blake, who went on court without knowing of his good friend’s plans to retire, showed he has plenty of life in him yet,upsetting Marcel Granollers, the 24th seed, in three sets. Sam Querrey, part of the generation below Roddick, also won in straight sets.
And for the home nation, the day ended in happy spirits as defending champions Melanie Oudin and Jack Sock upset Katerina Srebotnik and Nenad Zimonjic in a thrilling match tie-break. Hugs all round.
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Jo-Wilfried Tsonga became the highest-seed yet to exit this year’s US Open, felled by Martin Klizan. Six months ago, Klizan was beaten by Britain’s Dan Evans in the fifth rubber of their Davis Cup zonal tie. Evans is playing a Futures tournament in Chiswick. Klizan is in the third round of the US Open. How things change. Tsonga said he just had a bad day. "I don't really know why it was like this today, but sometimes it's happen with me."
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Britain’s Johanna Konta picked up where she left off, upsetting Belarus’s Olga Govortsova in three sets to win her fifth match in a row at this year’s US Open. Konta, who came through qualifying, used her aggressive game to her advantage against the temperamental Belarusian to take the first set 602, but had to have an injury timeout midway through the second, losing it 2-6. But she bounced back in the third, gaining a double break, and was due to serve out the match.
Ken Skupski and Jamie Delgado made it six out of seven British men into the second round of the men’s doubles, the pair combining to beat James Cerretani and Johan Brunstrom 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Following the British duo onto Court 12, Laura Robson was not so lucky, losing alongside Shahar Peer to Sabine Lisicki and Peng Shuai 0-6, 3-6. She then went straight back out onto the practice court.
Heather Watson and Marina Erakovic retired from their doubles match.
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Ana Ivanovic completed some of her most impressive stats for some time in her 6-2, 6-2 win over Sofia Arvidsson, Producing 39 winners (35 on the forehand), and winning 68% of points on her first serve, it was something of a revelation.
“It’s been a long process of getting my mind there and my body and game and everything together,” Ivanovic said. “It’s still going to be a lot of hard work and long process, but I’m starting to enjoy it as well.”
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Strange discovery of the day
Riding the subway out to Flushing Meadows, I was drawn to the slogan: ‘Ride inside. Stay alive.’ Because the obvious thing to do on a train is cling onto the outside.
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Coming up tomorrow
Arthur Ashe
Samantha Stosur v Varvara Lepchenko, Novak Djokovic v Rogerio Dutra Silva, Maria Sharapova v Mallory Burdette, in the day, and Andy Roddick v Bernard Tomic, Victoria Azarenka v Zheng Jie at night.
Louis Armstrong
Li Na v Laura Robson, Juan Martin Del Potro v Ryan Harrison, Jarkko Nieminen v John Isner, and the Williams sisters.
Grandstand
David Ferrer, Petra Kvitova, Janko Tipsarevic v Brian Baker
Court 17
The Bryan brothers, Richard Gasquet, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Kim Clijsters and Bob Bryan.
Other notables
Marion Bartoli on Court 11, Lleyton Hewitt on Court 11, Steve Johnson on Court 13, Jonny Marray and Freddie Nielsen on Court 8.
For full scores, draws and results, and videos from Flushing Meadows, check out the US Open official website.
