A tribute to Andy Roddick! An American Icon

When we think of American tennis, the words tradition, powerhouse, Grand Slam, and historic all come to mind. Names such as Agassi, Connors, McEnroe, Sampras, Davenport, Serena, Evert are among a never ending list of American stars who have captivated us with their play and personality. One name that will always be on that list and will stand out above many others is Andy Roddick.


American tennis will forever be synonymous with Andy, or A-Rod as Brad Gilbert nicknamed him years ago. His huge forehand and even bigger serve are exactly what Americans like, BIG THINGS! Andy was a staple on the Davis Cup team as he treated his participation as one of the greatest honors in his career. He represented the United States 25 ties and was the key figure in winning the Davis Cup title 2007 winning all of his six singles matches. Andy's shoulders bared the weight of America for over a decade and he did us proud.




The last American to win a Grand Slam in 2003, Andy battled courageously against arguably the greatest generation of players (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic) the world has ever seen. He was able to win the 2003 US Open beating Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the final. He almost didn't get there as he had to come back from two sets down and a match point against David Nalbandian. In Roddick fashion, he came back putting on a show and was able to capture his first and only Grand Slam title. Arguably his best match was in the quarterfinals of the Aussie Open in 2003. Facing Younes El Aynaoi, Roddick won the fifth set 21-19 and the match in 4 hours and 59 minutes. At 19-19 in the fifth, Andy passed his racket off to one of the ball boys, which El Aynaoi replicated. The ball boys ended up playing a point and entertaining the crowd. In such an intense moment, Andy had the innocence that we all admire in that he had fun with the game. He always had fun with the game!

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Off the court, Andy has always been busy. Starting out with his love live which was never short from the headlines; from his romance to American sweetheart, Mandy Moore, to marrying a swimsuit model in Brooklyn Decker. Andy is also known for his foundation. The Andy Roddick Foundation has raised over $10 million since its inception in 2001 (http://www.andyroddick.com/andy-roddick-foundation/). His investment in making life better for children has and will make an impact in the life of individuals for lifetimes to come. In 2007 Andy received the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health award. He was the fist male tennis player to receive the award.


A-Rod invited us on the amazing, fun, exhilarating ride that was Andy Roddick. He always put 100% into everything he did on the court and off it. This year's US Open left us happy as he kept winning and sad when he lost. As a fan, I will miss watching Andy play. As a person, I am proud of him and all the positive things he has and WILL do in the future.

Thank you Andy!!!