I saw the press conference last night, and I'm watching the match right now. But I still find it hard to believe. Andy Roddick is retiring after the US Open. While I'm not entirely surprised, I am shocked. Mainly because we didn't see this coming.
It couldn't have been easy for Roddick to make this decision. And it certainly seems like he's at peace with it. He's 30. His body wasn't going to let him do it much longer. He's been the top ranked American for years. He's not anymore. He's been in the Top 10 for years. He's not anymore. Roddick said during the press conference that he's not interested in simply "existing" on tour. He also said that if he can't commit everything mentally and physically, he's not going to disrespect the game by going through the motions. So, he's going out on his own terms instead. How can you not respect that?
So now we're left looking at the legacy of a man who had the impossible burden of carrying the banner for American tennis in the era after the greatest generation. Roddick was up to the task. He's been criticized by some (ignorant all) for "only" winning one Grand Slam title, the 2003 US Open. It's not his fault that he's only won one. He played in the same era as three of the greatest players of all time. Federer, Nadal and Djokovic haven't left many Grand Slam titles for anybody else. And if not for a certain Swiss fella, Roddick would have more than one Grand Slam title. He made three other finals, losing to Roger each time, including that epic at Wimbledon that went 16-14 in the fifth.
More importantly, Roddick did something that hadn't been done since the height of the Sampras/Agassi/Courier Era. He led the United States to the Davis Cup in 2007. The U.S. hadn't won since 1995, and Roddick made it his goal to change that. His committment to playing for his country is one of the things I'll remember the most about Andy Roddick. Winning the Davis Cup was important to him. In an era where a lot of the top players were finding ways out of playing Davis Cup matches, Roddick never missed. That dedication rubbed off on everybody. James Blake, Mardy Fish, the Bryan brothers. They all wanted to play. They all wanted to join Andy Roddick in winning the Davis Cup for the United States. That's why they eventually did.
Roddick had two goals for his career: win a Grand Slam and win the Davis Cup. He did them both. He also spent 10 consecutive years ranked in the Top 10. He was the year-end No. 1 in 2003, becoming just the 12th player ever to achieve that distinction. He held that ranking for 13 weeks before Roger took over for the next four and a half years. No. 1 has been the exculsive territory of the Big Three ever since.
In a vacuum, Andy Roddick had the career of a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He's not Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi. That's an impossible standard that it would be unfair to hold anybody to. Sure, he'd like to have another Grand Slam title or two, but he's got one. You know how many other active players can say that? Six. The Big Three, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Martin Del Potro and Juan Carlos Ferrero. (When Roddick won the US Open, Federer had just won Wimbledon for his first Grand Slam title.)
And is there any better place for him to say farewell? When you think of the US Open, you think Andy Roddick. Night sessions at Arthur Ashe Stadium with the crowd going nuts. Showing up for Arthur Ashe Kid's Day every single year. Incredible matches. Deep runs. The top American at America's Grand Slam. A showman perfectly suited for the New York stage. And he was adored for it. Hopefully it ends with one last run deep into the second week of the US Open.
While this is his final tournament, I'm sure this won't be the last we see of Andy Roddick. He won't pull one of those retirement, comeback, second retirement things the women do, but he's not going away either. He's said that he wants to do some work with his foundation, but I think he'll be back on the scene sooner rather than later. Andy Roddick is hilarious. He already has a radio show and, if he wants, would be a very successful commentator. But I can envision him in a larger role. A guy who's shown tremendous dedication to his country, Roddick would be the perfect Davis Cup captain.
He'll hand off the role of "Face of American Men's Tennis," probably to star-in-waiting John Isner. With the likes of Isner and Mardy Fish and Sam Querrey and Donald Young and Brian Baker and Bobby Reynolds, Andy Roddick leaves American tennis in good hands. For that, and for all he's done, I say "Thank You, Andy Roddick." Thank you.
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