Andy Roddick at the 2009 US Open.

In 2003, Andy Roddick won his first and only Grand Slam tournament:  the US Open.  That was the best year of Roddick’s career, as he won a major tournament, hit number one in the world, and generally played up to his considerable potential.  Since then, Roddick has made major finals, but has never been able to pass Roger Federer (losing to him in three Wimbledon finals) and was soon eclipsed by Djokovic and Rafa Nadal, among others.  Well, dim the lights, because Andy Roddick will be retiring from professional tennis after this year’s US Open is finished.

“On some big moments this year, I think I’ve known I was done,” Roddick said. “Walking off at Wimbledon, I felt like I knew.  Playing here, I don’t know what it was, but I couldn’t imagine myself being here in another year.  Whatever my faults were, I’ve always felt like I’ve never done anything halfway.  This is probably the first time in my career that I can sit here and say, I’m not sure I can put everything into it physically and emotionally.  I don’t know if I want to disrespect the game by coasting home.”

Andy Roddick might be the last great US male tennis player, and is part of the last generation of tennis stars to be born in the US.  Roddick, the Williams Sisters, and not much else has come out of the US in terms of tennis stars.  When they’re gone, the last link to names like Conners, McEnroe, Agassi, and Sampras will end up being broken, and that’s a shame.  Maybe there’s a new great American tennis player or players out there, but they’re not here yet, and the people currently on the tour are merely decent to good.  Sorry, John Isner.

Tags: tennis, professional tennis, andy roddick, us open, andy roddick retires, andy roddick to retire after US open, andy roddick retiring, us tennis, united states tennis, andy roddick us open, andy roddick retirement, athletes, sports, us athletes

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