Andy Roddick (USA)

Country: United States of America
Birth Date: 30 August, 1982
Birthplace: Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Residence: Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Height: 6 ft. 1 in. ( 1.85 metres )
Weight: 180 lbs. ( 81.8 kilos )
Plays: Right
Year turned pro: 2000
Final Champions Race 2002 Position: 10
Current ATP Champions Race Position: 4

2003 HIGHLIGHTS
Singles Finalist: Memphis       Semifinalist: Australian Open

Official Website: www.andyroddick.com
 

Sampras calling it quits


NEW YORK (AP) -- Pete Sampras won his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open.

He won his last one there, too.

And he'll return to Flushing Meadows to bid a formal farewell to the sport he dominated for so many years.

Sampras hasn't played a match since winning the 2002 U.S. Open, but he never officially announced he was retiring. That will change during a news conference Monday, when Sampras also will be feted at Arthur Ashe Stadium on the opening night of year's last major.

In keeping with Sampras' muted public style, the news came via an e-mailed statement from his representatives Thursday.

``He was just one of the most graceful players of all time, one of the most quietly competitive players of all time, one of the best pressure players of all time,'' said Andy Roddick, who's seeded fourth in the Open.

``The bigger the match was, the better he played. And he didn't make a big fuss about things. He just made his name by winning.''

Sampras, 32, leaves with 64 singles titles, including a record 14 majors: seven at Wimbledon (tying another mark), five at the U.S. Open, and two at the Australian Open.

He finished at No. 1 in the rankings a record six years (1993-98) and held the top spot a total of 286 weeks.

``Everybody goes through peaks and valleys,'' Roddick said. ``Pete's the only guy I've ever seen win everything for six years.''

Sampras forever will be associated with the All England Club, where his strong serve, crisp volleys and booming forehand made him nearly unbeatable on grass.

In July 2000, Sampras won a fourth straight Wimbledon to break Roy Emerson's career mark of 12 major titles. After beating Patrick Rafter in the final, Sampras looked into the stands for his parents, who never before had witnessed one of his Slam wins.

Reflecting on his successful pursuit of Emerson's record, which stood since 1967, Sampras said: ``Time will tell if it will be broken. I think in the modern game, it could be difficult. It's a lot of commitment, a lot of good playing at big times.''

He wouldn't win another tournament of any sort for more than two years. The disappointments included early losses to journeymen at the French Open -- the lone major he never won -- and Wimbledon, and Sampras carried the drought into last year's U.S. Open.

He was seeded just 17th, barely above .500 for the season.

And he put together what, in retrospect, was a perfect parting gift to himself and tennis fans.

The man he beat in the Open's third round, 1997 finalist Greg Rusedski, called Sampras ``a step and a half slow'' -- but Sampras just kept winning. He knocked off twentysomethings Tommy Haas and Roddick while playing five matches in seven days to get to a fairy tale final against lifelong rival Andre Agassi.

In what it turns out will be Sampras' last match, he pounded 33 aces to beat Agassi 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 and, at 31, become the tournament's oldest winner since 1970.

At the postmatch news conference, Sampras alternated between sounding as though he were ready to hang up his racket and ready to get back to work.

``I'm going to have to weigh it up in the next couple months to see where I'm at. To beat a rival like Andre, in a storybook ending, it might be nice to stop,'' Sampras said at the time.

``But,'' he added, ``I still want to compete, you know? I still love to play.''

He has other interests, too, including fatherhood. Sampras' wife, actress Bridgette Wilson, had their first child in November.

So Sampras exits with perfect bookends: He beat Agassi in the 1990 U.S. Open final to become, at barely 19, the tournament's youngest champion.

``Pete Sampras' retirement is a time for us to honor the outstanding career of a champion who inspired us to be perfectionists,'' ATP chief executive Mark Miles said. ``His passion for excellence and dedication to success make him a model athlete that will be celebrated for generations to come.''

 

 

2003 US Open Preview:

First-Round Match-Ups
Agassi, Federer, Roddick will all by vying for glory at Flushing Meadows.

1)Andre Agassi (USA) vs Alex Corretja (ESP) -- The top seed drew a familiar veteran opponent as he attempts to reach the US Open final for the second straight year...Agassi holds a 39-7 record this year and has won four titles, while Corretja has struggled to a 10-16 mark...Agassi has a 4-3 record against Corretja, but the Spaniard has won the last three meetings including two finals (2000 Washington, 1998 Indianapolis)...Agassi currently in 5th position in ATP Champions Race and No. 1 in ATP Entry Rankings...Has won eight career Grand Slam titles, including two US Open titles (1994, 99)...Has a 62-15 mark at US Open, trailing only Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and John McEnroe for most wins at the event since the beginning of the Open Era...Corretja is 16-10 in 11 appearances at US Open...Best finish was quarterfinals in 1996.
 

(4)Andy Roddick (USA) vs Tim Henman (GBR) -- After winning back-to-back Tennis Masters Series trophies in Montreal then Cincinnati, ATP Champions Race leader Andy Roddick comes into this year's US Open as the hottest hard-court player on the circuit and a favorite to win his first Grand Slam title... Roddick, who will celebrate his 21st birthday next Saturday, has won 30 of 32 matches since teaming with coach Brad Gilbert in June and will take a 12-match winning streak into the first round in New York... Roddick's also looking to win his sixth title of 2003 and solidify a spot at this year's Tennis Masters Cup Houston... Although Henman comes into the match with a 1-0 series edge, Roddick typically plays his best on American soil, where he's captured eight of his 10 career titles. Henman, meanwhile, is quite capable of pulling off the upset. The Briton recently captured the title in Washington, where he defeated Roddick in the semifinals in three sets, then went on to dismiss Chilean hot shot Fernando Gonzalez in the final... Henman subsequently fell in the second round in Montreal, then the first round in Cincinnati, but has the goods to counter Roddick's firepower with his own brand of serve-and-volley tennis.

(2)Roger Federer (SUI) vs Jose Acasuso (ARG) -- Wimbledon champion Roger Federer comes to Flushing Meadows primed to win his second consecutive Grand Slam trophy...En route to his championship triumph at Wimbledon, he defeated Andy Roddick in the semifinals and Mark Philippoussis in the final... So far in 2003, the No 2 seed has captured five titles, tied for an ATP best with Roddick... The Swiss sensation recently was pushed off the top perch of the ATP Champions Race by Cincinnati winner Andy Roddick, but being only eight points behind, he could easily regain the top honor with a strong run in New York... Acasuso comes into the match with a 7-15 ATP record...The Argentine fell in the second round in Montreal and the first round in Cincinnati...This will be the first meeting between Federer and Acasuso.

(6)Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs Victor Hanescu (ROM) -- Lleyton Hewitt knows what it takes to win at Flushing Meadows, having won his first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2001, defeating Pete Sampras in the final...But the Australian has had mixed results in 2003. He captured titles in Indian Wells and Scottsdale, and reached the final in Los Angeles, but fell in the second round of Montreal and the first round of Cincinnati...As defending champion, he also had a disappointing run at Wimbledon this year, falling to Ivo Karlovic in the first round...Hewitt now stands in 13th place in the ATP Champions Race, but still has a shot at qualifying for the Tennis Masters Cup Houston should he repeat his heroics of 2001 again in New York...Hanescu has a 8-6 record on the year...He reached the third round both at Roland Garros and at Wimbledon this year...This will be the first meeting for Hewitt and Hanescu.

Michael Chang (USA) vs (15)Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) -- Chang making final appearance at US Open after announcing he will retire after the event...Finalist in 1996, Chang has a 43-16 record at the event and is playing in Flushing Meadows for the 17th consecutive year...Has a 2-8 record in 2003...Gonzalez has a 30-16 record this year and was a finalist last month in Washington...Gonzalez looking to reach quarterfinals for second straight year at US Open...Has a 5-2 mark at event and will be making third appearance...Chang and Gonzalez will be meeting for the first time.

(18)Max Mirnyi (BLR) vs Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) -- "The Beast" Max Mirnyi has been on a tear of late - reaching the quarterfinals in Canada and semifinals in Cincinnati...Mirnyi has always been at his best at the US Open, including a semifinal appearance last year (l. to Agassi)...Mirnyi has a 34-22 record on the year and won his first ATP title in Rotterdam...Davydenko is 29-24 with two titles this year (Adelaide, Estoril)...Compiled 2-3 record so far in North American hard court swing...Mirnyi and Davydenko playing for second time this year...Russian victorious in only other career meeting, a three set victory on clay in Estoril.