Roddick all praise for Federer, Nadal
washington — Former world number one Andy Roddick compared facing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to witnessing Spanish artist Picasso compose a masterpiece as he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
American star Roddick, 34, spent 13 weeks atop the world rankings, topping the year-end list in 2003.
He won his only Grand Slam singles title at the 2003 US Open, losing four other Slam finals to Federer. He retired after the 2012 US Open with 32 career ATP titles and a 612-213 record.
Regarding long-time rivals Federer and Nadal, Roddick remarked: “I can’t believe the level of tennis I got to see. I feel like I know what it must have been like to watch Picasso.”
Roddick also recalled how lucky he felt to see sisters Serena and Venus Williams as teens, saying: “I can’t wait to see Serena become a
I can’t believe the level of tennis I got to see. I feel like I know what it must have been like to watch Picasso Andy Roddick
mother and I can’t wait to seem them both play in the Wimbledon final in 2030!” Roddick and fellow Slam winner Kim Clijsters, as well as Dutch four-time Paralympic wheelchair tennis medalist Monique Kalkman-van den Bosch, tennis journalist and historian Steve Flink and the late Vic Braden, a groundbreaking instructor who died in 2014 at age 85, were enshrined in the Hall of Fame at Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday.
Belgium’s Clijsters, 34, won the 2005, 2009 and 2010 US Opens and the 2011 Australian Open singles crowns. —