RisforResilience

R is for Resilience

A different look at Andy Roddick

By Beth Rifkin

It’s immediately following the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, where Andy Roddick pulled off a spectacular performance to take the title, and as expected, there’s a gluten of statements being thrown around in an effort to make sense of his win – resurgence, resurrection, reinvention – to name a few. However, there’s one crucial word that has been notably left out of most conversations in regards to the former world number one – resilience.

Roddick is one of those players, like many others, where what he hasn’t done overshadows what he has. For example, before the win in Miami he hadn’t won a Masters series title since Cincinnati in 2006 and he hasn’t won a Grand Slam since 2003 – two very interesting conversational topics to consider when discussing the career of a world-class professional tennis player. However what he has done is earn the 3rd most titles of any active player behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and he has finished in the Top 10 for eight consecutive years – the only active player besides Federer to do so. And he and Federer are the only active players to win at least one ATP World Tour title for nine straight years.

Roddick was also part of the 2007 US Davis Cup championship team and trails only John McEnroe (41) in Davis Cup match wins with 31. Speaking of which, Roddick has also dealt with the pressure and expectations to live up to past US tennis legends like Agassi, Sampras, McEnroe and Connors, with as much grace and dignity as Federer handles being ranked number one.

Another has; he’s had the unfortunate timing of having his career parallel Roger Federer, who defeated Roddick in four of the five Grand Slam finals that he’s reached, which otherwise would have offered the chance to dispel his undeserved “one hit wonder” status. Even still, with each loss and disappointment, Roddick has admirably regrouped, rethought, recommitted – more R words – he’s gotten back in the Ring.

Known for his big serve, critics claim the rest of his game is nothing more than average, but yet the 7th ranked Roddick manages to consistently remain in the top ten. Seeking out one top coach after another – Brad Gilbert, Jimmy Connors, Larry Stefanki. He’s willing to make changes; this season alone, under the guidance of Stefanki, Roddick has been more focused on court, continuing to improve his fitness and he has added dimensions to his game, like coming to net more often, changing the pace up and flattening out his forehand, which helped him defeat Nadal in the semi’s at Indian Wells and Berdych in Miami for the Championship title.

Some say he’s matured, and maybe he has, but trying brings confidence; win or lose you’re still able to walk away strong, which allows you to get up the next day and try again. Resilience is everything.

April 2010