PARIS -- Andy Roddick overcame cramps that had him jerking
in pain between points and won a dramatic five-set match against Michael
Chang in the second round of the French Open on Wednesday.
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Andy the Ace
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Andy Roddick's 37 aces are the most by a player since the ATP started keeping the record in 1991.
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Aces
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Player
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Opponent
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Year
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37
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Andy Roddick
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Chang
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'01
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29
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Marc-Kevin Goellner
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Woodforde, Burrilo
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'93, '98
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28
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Pete Sampras
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Courier
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'96
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Four players, Krajicek, T. Martin, Courier, Philippoussis are tied at 27.
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Roddick, 18, from Boca Raton, Fla., scored a 5-7,
6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-5 on the same court where Chang had to battle
severe cramps himself when he became the youngest French Open men's
champion in 1989 at 17 years, 3 months.
"My hand was doing this cool, bendy thing and my leg was
cramping," Roddick said. "I'm just glad to get through that."
Roddick's performance was eerily reminisent of Chang's
victory over Ivan Lendl during his historic drive for the title
in 1989. On that occasion, Chang cramped late in the
quarterfinal clash and was forced to serve underhand before
holding on to win in five sets.
"It was going through my head while I was out there," Roddick said. "That match was one of my first memories of tennis, I
went out after it and played for like three hours.
"It really inspired me.
After Chang's backhand sailed wide for the final point of the
3-hour, 50-minute match, Roddick threw his clay-stained baseball
cap into the crowd, then ripped his shirt apart in what has become
the trademark of his skyrocketing career.
"I felt relief, joy," said Roddick, still relishing the
moment. "You can't explain moments like that.
"I almost wanted to cry but I wanted to scream and yell at
the same time.
"That's why you play tennis."
Playing in only his second Grand Slam event, the unseeded
Roddick served 37 aces and 32 service winners during the match.
Roddick was loudly booed by the crowd after throwing his racket down
in frustration in the first set, but fans shouted "Andy! Andy!"
as he drew closer to victory, and his win was greeted by jubilant
cheers.
He next faces sixth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, who broke Russian
qualifier Nikolay Davydenko eight times on his way to a 6-0, 6-1,
6-3 win.
Roddick brushed aside
suggestions that he was about to become the new flag-bearer of
American tennis in place of Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras and
Chang.
"I don't feel any pressure about being the next great
American," Roddick said.
"Any expectation that I'm going to do what those guys did
just isn't smart.
"They were probably the greatest group of guys from one
country ever to play in the same generation." Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories |
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