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THE
SCOOP : US Open, DAY 7
Roddick rips his serve-and-serve game
Haas, Johansson make statements
By Ron Cioffi, TennisReporters.net
Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA |
| Roddick bangs his way to the round of 32. |
FROM THE US OPEN – How many
aces did Andy Roddick have? Check the strikeout count.
The baseball fans who fill New York’s Yankee and Shea Stadiums
keep count of their hometown pitchers strikeouts by displaying
printouts of “K,” On Sunday tennis fans kept count
of Roddick’s aces by taping a growing row of “A”s
from the Arthur Ashe Stadium railing.
Roddick made them use 21pieces of paper as he blasted his way
through Guillermo Cañas, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3. Roddick has held
serve in 36 of 37 during the first four rounds of his defense
of his US Open crown. Additionally, he didn’t serve a double
fault.
Cañas had five opportunities to break but Roddick continued
to prove that his firepower and focus is, presently, a nearly
unbeatable combination.
“It’s very difficult” to break him, Cañas
said. The Argentine had a shot to break Roddick early in the match,
but couldn’t convert. Cañas pointed out that, “You
want to take the first one. … But, it was just one chance
among many points” in the match.
Ron Cioffi/TR.net |
| Joachim Johansson also used a big serve
game to advance. |
Cañas was asked to predict
whether Roddick, playing at today’s high level, could defeat
Federer. “It would be difficult” for Roddick. “Playing
against me, playing against him – that’s not the same.
You never know.”
Still, there’s no doubt
the’03 US Open champ brought his “A” game, in
more ways than one. He clocked 49 winners to 19 unforced errors,
an impressive plus-30 differential.
“I thought my forehand felt really good today. I thought
the first two sets I returned really well. I closed well. So,
I’m pretty happy,” Andy said. About playing ground
stroke specialist Cañas, he said, “I’m not
going to sit back there and be more consistent than he is, or
I’m not going to faster than he is. I kind of have to look
at it from the point of view of: What can I do better? I feel
like I can attack more comfortable than he can.”
Asked if his quick start in his
three matches – he’s only lost one game in three first
sets – had to do with with being at the Open, he responded
that it was conscious. Then he elaborated, explaining “I
think it’s just maybe the hype of the Open and being back
here.”
Roddick said he couldn’t complain about being No. 2 behind
rival Roger Federer. But, he admitted that his ’04 Wimbledon
final lost stung. “I had a week afterwards where it was
the first thing I thought of when I woke up every day. But, what’s
done is done. It does me no good to look back.
Haas, Johansson make statements
Tommy Haas continues with his resurgence, dominating No. 113 Ricardo
Mello of Brazil 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.
Haas attacked frequently and won 80 percent of his net points.
In the post-match press conference he said his serve was his biggest
weapon.
However, it wasn’t the key to victory. “After [I]
dominated the first two sets, he came off pretty strong in the
beginning of the third. Then I had a few chances at 3-all, but
couldn’t convert those break chances. Obviously, getting
the break at 5-all was very important for me.
Next up for the German is Tomas Berdych, who upset Mikhail Youzhny
2-6, 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. Czech Berdych, ranked No. 68, didn’t
surprise Youzhny . “No, I’ve never played him but
I knew how good a player he is,” Youzhny said.
Making a big noise was the 140-mph serve of Joachim Johansson.
The tall Swede banged 19 aces in taking out Stefan Koubek in four
sets. Johansson wasn’t broken in the contest, winning 78
percent of his first-serve points. |
