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U.S. Open: Andy Roddick labors past Michael Russell with wife Brooklyn Decker in stands in Flushing
He returned to the scene of his greatest triumph Wednesday night, and commemorated the moment by belting his first serve of the match 135 mph. The rest of the evening was not nearly so easy for Andy Roddick, once the big young gun of American tennis and still the last American male to win a Grand Slam.
Nobody expected Roddick to turn back the proverbial clock at Arthur Ashe Stadium Wednesday night, but few expected him to have a bumpy, three-hour tussle with fellow American Michael Russell, either.
The 29-year-old Roddick came into the Open with his lowest ranking in a decade (No. 21), and the lowest Slam seed (also No. 21) of his life, his 2003 Open title an increasingly distant memory. He wound up prevailing over the 33-year-old Russell, but it was neither smooth, nor artistic.
"I was lucky to get out of there in four sets," Roddick said, after his 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory. "It wasn't pretty."
The victory earns Roddick a second-round date with 18-year-old wild card Jack Sock, No. 553 in the world, and a Nebraska native, like Roddick. Sock is not just the youngest player in the draw; he is the newest pro in the draw, and he debuted by taking out 34-year-old Marc Gicquel of France, the oldest player in the field, 6-4, 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
In the nightcap, third-seeded Maria Sharapova moved into the third round with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Anastasiya Yakimova, also of Russia.
"I'm coming in looking to win," said Sock, the two-time USTA 18s champion, when asked about his expectations. "I wouldn't enter a tournament, come to a tournament, if I didn't think I could win some matches."
Roddick, his relief palpable after getting by the 96th-ranked Russell, said Sock was "full of ---- and vinegar," and reminded him of himself at that age.
"I'll take on the young American and I'll enjoy it," Roddick said.
Russell has yet to win an Open match in seven tries. A 5-8 baseline counterpuncher, he played in a sleeveless red shirt that showed off his bulging biceps, but didn't fully join the fray until the third set, when he went up an early break and made it stand up, smacking potent forehands and dictating most of the rallies. He held at love to clinch the set and take Roddick into the fourth, and continued his roll from there, going up by breaking Roddick at 15 with a crosscourt forehand for 3-2.
Roddick broke back, but when Russell hooked a forehand pass into the corner and hit an artful forehand lob in the ninth game, it sure looked as if this might go five, before Roddick held at love for 6-5 and closed it out when Russell had the last, and worst, of his eight double faults, for 15-40.
Russell netted a forehand volley and Roddick had lived to see the second round.
"Maybe he missed some more shots than he usually does," Russell said. "(But) if he serves well, he could go deep in the tournament."
Post je objavljen 01.09.2011. u 11:56 sati.