Tennis/US Open: Free-fall parachuting, bungee jumping, burning CDs, winning the US Open - they all come the same to 21-year-old Andy Roddick, who placed his name on the silver trophy alongside fellow Americans Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Stan Smith and Arthur Ashe after his overwhelming 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero at the weekend.
"He's like a modern version of Ivan Lendl," said his coach, Brad Gilbert. "A bigger, stronger version of Lendl."
It says much for Gilbert, the former coach of Agassi, how much Roddick has improved since the two came together just before this year's Stella Artois tournament at Queens.
Prior to that, and despite reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open, Roddick was still floundering on the big stage. Now he has assumed the role of a leading man.
Afterwards, he gave credit to his former coach, Tarik Benhabiles, but Andy's brother, John, underlined the fact that it was Roddick's decision to take on Gilbert that has been the turning point. "It's the main reason he won. Brad gave him more of an edge. He needed a fresh look to his tennis."
Under Gilbert, Roddick has won 37 out of 39 matches, his only two defeats coming against Roger Federer in the Wimbledon semi-finals, and then over three sets against Tim Henman in Washington. Now, after his first grand slam title, every American wants to know whether he can emulate Sampras and Agassi.
"Only time will tell, but at 21 he has got to get way better," Gilbert said. "If he doesn't, then he won't win a bunch. In every sport, if you don't think you can get better, you won't. I'd like to think Andy's nowhere near where he is gonna be."
With Sampras gone, and Agassi (33), nearing the end of the road, Roddick's rise could not have come at a more opportune time for the sport in the US. There has been a huge amount of pressure put on Roddick, the former world junior number one, to blaze a new trail, something he alluded to after his victory.
"No more 'what is it like to be the future of American tennis?' crap. No more," Roddick smiled.
Not since Sampras in his pomp has a player served so well in a final. Roddick hit 23 aces, including three to wrap up the match, won 89 per cent of his first service points and never had his serve broken, with Ferrero failing to convert any of his meagre three break points.
"Andy's serve has a way of taking away his nerves, the same as Sampras," said Gilbert, who has instilled more variety into Roddick's chief weapon. "You have got to be able to hit the kick serve and the slice, and be able to work all the spots. Maybe he used to go too big all the time, but he has better variety now."
Only once did it appear the contest might shift in Ferrero's favour, and that was at the start of the second set tie-break. Roddick lost both his service points to go 2-1 down, but the Spaniard could not take advantage, and thereafter collapsed mentally.
Because of three days of rain at the beginning of the second week, this was Ferrero's fourth match in four days, which included wins over Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in the quarter-finals and Agassi in the semis. It was too much, although the latter victory earned the Spaniard the number one world ranking spot for the first time, with Roddick at a career high number two.
Roddick, courtesy of the pro-American scheduling, had an extra day off, and pulverised Holland's Sjeng Schalken in the quarter-finals. However, he was taken to five sets in the semis by Argentina's David Nalbandian who had match point against him. Nalbandian largely negated Roddick's serve and outplayed him in many of the rallies, but he also ran out of gas.
"I expected him to win the title," said Gilbert.
Now it remains to be seen whether he can go on to win at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, or in Australia where the odds will not be so heavily in his favour. The chances are he will.
Guardian Service
