Andy Roddick: Championship Tour

[gzhpcu]

Just read that Andy Roddick made his debut on the ATP Championship Tour!

Read this: http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2...andy_rodd.html

31 year old Roddick beats 54 year old McEnroe in a one set match by only 7-5!

[klacr]

Phil,

He did in fact make his champions tour debut. Although he did this back in Mid February. He did in fact beat John McEnroe 7-5. Of course it is an "exhibition". Roddick also played in a Delray Beach Champions tour event held in conjuction with the ATP Tour event. It was team USA (Roddick, Krickstein, Jan-Michael Gambill vs. International (Wilander, Pernfors, Ivaniesevic). Roddick, having been only been off the main tour for a year or so, was clearly the best player. The velocity of his ball, the depth of shots and his quickness were evident compared to his fellow champions tour players. He went easy on all of them and gave the crowd their money's worth.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

Kyle,
Still isn't Roddick too young for this sort of thing? Don't see Federer doing it...

[klacr]

Kyle,
Still isn't Roddick too young for this sort of thing? Don't see Federer doing it...

Phil, good question. According to the Champions Tour website...

"To be eligible to compete on the ATP Champions Tour, players must have been either a World No. 1 during their competitive playing careers, a Grand Slam singles finalist, or a singles player in a victorious Davis Cup team; and they should have retired from the ATP circuit. Each event can also invite two players of its choice to take wild cards."

Roddick meets those requirements. I think Federer is doing just fine where he is.

Speaking of Federer, are you going to see Davis Cup action this weekend?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

Kyle,
Only on TV... My wife has relatives over...

[worldsbesttenniscoach]

In late Fall 2013, in an indoor ATP event in France, Tsonga's opponent withdrew. Knowing the crowd would be disappointed, the organizers found Stefan Edberg to play an exhibition set against Top-10 Player Tsonga. (I think Tsonga went on to win the tournament.)

Tsonga was very lucky to win the set in a tie break. Tsonga tried his hardest. It was a good example that perhaps today's pros are not necessarily so great in comparison to previous generations. Edberg of course was not in his best shape or best practice form, but he still had enough to almost beat one of today's world-best players. Tsonga seems like nice guy, so I am happy that Tsonga won, but the result was almost an embarrassment for today's players.

So if Roddick is out of practice, or they play on a fast court, I am not surprised that J. McEnroe can almost beat Roddick. Roddick certainly has many flaws in his game. On a slick surface, perhaps McEnroe would prevail today over Roddick.