What's with Roddick?

Question

I know he is American, and as such most Americans have to like him and support him, but he is not that great! He is good, but doesn't even belong in the same level as Federer. He has one of the worst attitudes of the game also. He now has the same attitude as His coach. People start realizing that he can't never be like Agassi or Sampras. James Blake on the other hand, has more promise and better marketavility than Roddick has. What do you guys think?

Remember before the Aussie Open? All the hype in the media about Andy and how he was getting closer to Federer in playing? Then he beat him in an exibition that didn't matter? How Patrick Mcenroe was saying that Federer now had to work harder to beat him? Then Federer showed us the truth and how below of his level Rodick is, and yes Federer is way above anybody's level. We can't think that Roddick could beat him in talent, though any given day anyone can beat anyone. It just seems impossible to get to Federer.
By the way, I haven't given up on Andy, it just angers me that everybody is so in love with him and there are better players talentwise and personality and attitudewise than him. Sportsmanship is one of hte things that I love tennis for, and Andy doesn't seem to have a lot of it. As for his charities, that might be his only redeeming characteristic. That's the only way he will be like Agassi. His charity and care for others are second to none.

Answer 1

Andy Roddick came along at a time when the US media was looking for the next great US tennis player to fill the void left behind by McEnroe, Connors, Sampras and Agassi.

He is extremely over-rated and if he wasnt American would get nowhere near the media coverage that he does.

His game is very one-dimensional and he is in fact a very dumb tennis player. Take away his giant serve and he has very little left to compete with the better players. If he has to play a third shot in a rally ( after his big serve and first big forehand are returned ) he has no clue how to construct a point. His backhand is very ordinary and he comes to the net behind terrible approach shots and is passed far too easilty ( for example 2006 US Open Final against Federer ).

If you look at his record against the better service returners of the last 5 years i.e Federer ( 1-13 ), Agassi ( 1-5 ) and Hewitt ( 3-6 ) you will see how limited a player he really is once the ball stays in play after his big first serve.

His reputation is based on hype and his big serve, and his game has very little substance.

Answer 2

James Blake is a wanna-be, number one American tennis player.
How can you even say that roddick isn't that good. He is the second best in the game and will soon within 2-3 years be no.1 again he will improve his game and beat federer without a doubt, he just has to realize that federer is only human and can be beatin. If he can beat sampras or Agassi he for sure can beat federer. roddick's serve is by far the best ever, and he is gonna play more up at the net and defeat his opponents that way, especially with his baseline tactics. Federer so far has just had the best of him. Blake doesn't even have a chance at federer and will never be better hen roddick.

Answer 3

I strongly disagree.

I know that he isn't that great and not the same level as Federer, but can you honestly say that someone is the same level as Federer? Andy Roddick is not the only person who is rude while playing a match, off the court he is such a nice guy, he has a charity event for kids. I do not think that James Blake is better than Roddick, has blake ever been number one? Has Blake ever won a grand slam? Blake hasn't won a Master's Series event. Everybody just seemed to have given up on him because of last year, but he has a lot more years to go, so don't judge him so early in his career.

Answer 4

NOBODY is on Federer's level. While James Blake has a good comeback story that nobody else probably could have done, I don't think he has more promise or marketability that Roddick. He hasn't even won a 5 set match! 0-9 I think. If it wasn't for Federer, Roddick could have won 4 slam titles by now. He won 1 us open, and was in 3 finals (2 wimbledons and another us open where he lost all to federer). And what's the furthest James has gone into a major? He seems to do like Ljubicic, great player, but always chokes. IF he could get over this major choking habit he has in majors and 5 setters, he could be better than roddick.

Answer 5

Federer is the best player ever! so don't even compare other players to him. I think Andy Roddick is the second best tennis player in the world now since he has been working with Jimmy Connors. As for James Blake having more promise, I wouldn't say that either has more promise. However I would say Roddick is playing better at the moment, Blake was before last year's US Open. They are both great players. As for a temper I think Roddick has now lost his temper. I think he could be good, but Sampras and Agassi are two legends, so don't even bother to compare. I think he is more marketable than Blake since Blake has lost his dreadies.

Answer 6

I totally diasgree. People never put Roger and Andy on the same level. We all know Roger is on a whole different level. Andy doesn't have an attitude. Sure he shows his emotions during a match. Which is fine. Everybody isn't like Federer. Andy is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. Besides that he is funny and a real down to earth person

I can't believe even after all that crap you wrote you have nerve enough to say "James Blake on the other hand, has more promise and better marketavility than Roddick". Are you kidding me? More promise my a**. James Blake will never be better or good as Andy Roddick. James Blake has yet to win a title and dudes' pushing 30.

Edit - space boy Blake isn't 25, he's 27. 27 is pushing 30. Get your facts straight before you try to prove some one wrong.

Answer 7

While I agree that he is not in the same league as Federer - no one is - he has a great game and has considerably improved his net play, which will make him even better as a competitor. His attitude is getting back to what it was when he first came on to the scene, and I think he will be even more mentally tough as this year goes on. Whether he can live up to Sampras or Agassi, only time will tell, but don't forget that Agassi was a better play late in his career - so anything is possible with the right heart and mind! I do think Blake has a greater game and a tougher competitive spirit, and I hope they will have a great rivalry in the coming years.

Answer 8

People tend to think that Roddick is not playing very well right now. I personally think, however, that he is playing well. A loss in the Australian Open semi-finals to Federer is not that bad, considering that Federer didn't even drop a set during the tourney. Roddick has been coming up with some good wins lately and has a very experienced coach (Jimmy Connors). He can only get better!

Answer 9

i hate that people trash him so often just for showing his emotions. its tough to play umong the top players of the world, and you can easily get frustrated. sometimes he comes off as an ***, but i can honestly say that i dont think he means to be so rude. i've been watching him play for years now, and if you watch him at his charity events, he really is a down to earth guy. he puts his heart and soul into his foundation, and you can tell because he gets so emotional when his foundation gets large donations. there's more to him then how he acts on the court.

i agree with you when you say that he's not going to be the next sampras, and that he's not even at the same level as federer. but honestly, who is? the guy is currently leading the atp ranking by more than double the points the next guy has. i don't think andy will ever be that great, but that doesn't stop me from believing in him. i dont think it's at all wrong of him to try his hardest, and to get emotional. he proved that he is amazing at the sport by being number one in the world, so give him some credit for that. just because he wasn't doing so great last year, doesn't mean that he can't keep trying. and trying is what makes him emotional, so being angry sometimes just comes along with it.

i know blake is an amazing guy. harvard student, amazing personality, and he carries himself so well. it's easy to look at andy next to james and think that andy is such a rude guy, but you're not looking past the court when you say this.


sorry, but i disagree. i think it sucks that a lot of americans have given up on him. he had a bad year, so what? you can't only blame roddick, none of the other guys have been able to get passed federer either.

Answer 10

I agree and disagree. No question that his attitude is not the best, but at least he is trying. "IF" Federer does not exist, Roddick "could have" won 4 or 5 Grand Slam by now. Then he "would have" been in the Jim Courier or maybe even Boris Becker level.

You can't really put Roddick in the same level as Federer. Federer is just at another level by himself. We need a time machine to bring back the young Pete Sampras, Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, Stephen Edberg, etc to really challenge this Roger Federer. He has no challenge right now. The closest challenger is Nadal on clay. That's about it ;)