Andy Roddick (Andy Roddick)

Member Name: gogetakame

Product:	Andy Roddick
Date:	05/12/08 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: strong and fast serve, strong forehand, improving backhand

Disadvantages: inconsistency in matches, gives up on some points

Andy Roddick, currently ranked #8 in the world and a former #1, is best known for his serve. The US player won the US open grand slam, his only grand slam up till now, in 2003 and became the number 1 player in the world. When Roddick first became a professional, his backhand was one of his major weaknesses. He was a player who had a strong serve and forehand. But with this weakness he couldn't always win matches. Over time, his two-handed backhand has improved considerably with the help of former tennis professional and coach Jimmy Connors. He can now use it to produce winners and it is more consistent than before. Roddick's serve is the fastest in the game. He holds the record of the fastest serve ever: 155 mph. He is able to produce this much power because of his body rotation and snap of the wrist. Roddick is a baseline player, but he has started to come to the net more often now and his volleys have increased. Roddick plays best on hard court because his serve is most effective there. Roddick uses the Pure Drive Roddick Plus Racquet with Babolat Pro Hurricane Tour string and uses a semi-western grip so that he can produce flat and topspin shots. What Roddick fails to have, however, is consistency in matches. Quite often, he has been in the lead and has ended up losing. I remember watching a Wimbledon match on TV with Roddick playing Richard Gasquet. Roddick was up 2 sets and it looked like he was going to win the third set. But he failed to close it out. Gasquet ended up winning that match. Roddick is fairly fast on the court, but what I seemed to notice is that on some points he gives up when he could have made the effort to get the ball. Roddick has yet to win another Grand Slam, but his main chance is at the US Open. He has definitely improved over the years and maybe in 2009 we will see him win another Grand Slam.

Summary: The number 1 American player in the world with a tremendous serve and forehand.