Tennis: 'A-Rod' ready to step into Sampras' shoes

NEW YORK - America demanded a champion, and Andy Roddick delivered. With the sun setting on Flushing Meadows he battered Juan Carlos Ferrero into submission yesterday to win his first grand slam tennis crown at the United States Open.

His 6-3 7-6 6-3 victory was a triumph of bone-rattling power that shattered the metronomic consistency of the new world No 1.

It also served as notice that the man they call 'A-Rod' is ready to step into the shoes of Pete Sampras and lead a new generation of Americans to grand slam glory.

After pounding down a 23rd ace on his first match point, 21-year-old Roddick held his head in his hands and simply sobbed.

With tears rolling down his cheeks he gazed, glassy-eyed, around the howling New York crowd, screaming for their new champion.

He fell, crying, into the arms of his coach Brad Gilbert, before heading off to kiss actress-singer girlfriend Mandy Moore and his mother Blanche.

"It hasn't sunk in yet ... I don't think you could have written the script any better, starting with Pete's retirement," Roddick said.

"I still don't believe I have won the US Open. For years I came to this tournament and just watched from way up there.

"I can't believe it. I have my friends and my family here. I couldn't have a better day."

There could hardly have been a better way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the US Open's move to Flushing Meadows.

Yet Roddick had so nearly missed the party. In Sunday's semifinal he had been two sets and match point down against Argentine David Nalbandian before mounting a comeback.

Roddick plays tennis the way New Yorkers like it. He's loud, he's cocky and he hits a mean ball.

No one in the world has hit a serve faster than the American and yesterday it was too hot for Ferrero.

"I didn't do my tennis," Ferrero said. "Maybe because he served so hard all the time, I couldn't feel a rhythm on court. It's a very big serve, you know? Today was not my day."

The Spaniard was playing with an "experimental racket" according to its manufacturers, but the racket has not been made that can tame the Roddick serve, and time and again the 225 km/h-plus rockets ricocheted off Ferrero's frame.

There was little respite for the Spaniard when it was his turn to serve, as Roddick's forehand should come with a health warning too.

Never mind that the rankings will show Ferrero as the world No 1 this week. On centre court he stood no chance.

In front of an excitable crowd Roddick burst from the blocks opening the first game with a 186 km/h ace. In game four he broke Ferrero for the first time, slamming a forehand winner with murderous intent, and after 28 minutes had one finger on his first grand slam crown.

In the second set he did not lose a point on his serve until the eighth game, but Ferrero was hanging in and the set inched into a tiebreak that Roddick tore through 7-2.

Serving first in the third set, Roddick charged for the finish line. After 22 consecutive games without a break opportunity he finally got his chance at 3-2.

But Ferrero refused to fold, denying Roddick on three break chances to keep the set on serve. In the next game Ferrero put Roddick under pressure with a pair of break points, but he dug himself out of trouble with two unreturnable serves.

Ferrero finally succumbed to Roddick's pressure when he double-faulted serving at 4-3 to give the American the decisive break.

Feasting on the energy of a partisan crowd, Roddick then hit three consecutive aces for his first slam.

- REUTERS


Andy Roddick

Born: Omaha, Nebraska.

DOB: August 30 1982.

Turned professional: 2000.

First ATP tour match win: 2000 Miami Masters.

First ATP title: Atlanta (clay) 2001.

Coach: Brad Gilbert (after splitting with Tarik Benhabiles).

First grand slam title: US Open 2003.

Career prizemoney: US$4.620.311