American Andy Roddick showed he has added some weapons to his arsenal in his victory over Germany’s Philipp Kohlshreiber Friday evening at Wimbledon.
Roddick used his unstoppable serve, as expected, but also his remarkable mobility, as well as a new-found ability to serve and volley, to fight off a challenge from his German foe.
“The last two sets were real good,” Roddick told a Wimbledon.com interviewer. “I got a little complacent; he was being the aggressor for the majority of the first two sets. I turned around a little bit in the third and fourth set. He’s dangerous.
“I have had a couple rough matches here early on, and I am just happy to be through.”
Roddick, ranked fourth in the world, expected to roll over 35th-ranked Kohlschreiber. All the favorites on the men’s and women’s sides had defeated their opponents in straight sets earlier in the day.
But Kohlschreiber put up a fight. After dropping the first set 7–5, he fought back in the second set to win in 7–6 in a 7–5 tiebreaker.
In the second set, Roddick had to fight off multiple break points in the sixth game, then came back to force Kohlschreiber to face three set points with the score 5–4. Kohlschreiber answered the challenge and took the set to 6 all, before winning the tiebreaker.
This was when Roddick decided to take control. “It’s always a weird little area of a match after the high intensity of a [tie] breaker,” Roddick explained. “After you stop there is kind of a lull. I wanted to use that to make some returns there, and it ended up turning the match around.”
Roddick broke Kohlschreiber early in the third set, with second serves of 114 and 117 mph. But Kohlschreiber showed he had a powerful serve of his own, holding onto serve for the next two games.
Finally, with Kohl serving at 5–3, Roddick began coming to the net to win points, taking the set with fast feet and quick hands.
Roddick won the first three games of the fourth set, alternating blazing aces with serve-and-volley. Kohlschreiber fought back in the next game, taking it to deuce several time s before winning, but Roddick was totally in control in his service games, running his opponent all over the court and answering every effort Kohlshreiber could muster.
Kohlschreiber defended a match point at 5–2, beating Roddick wuith a pair of beautiful drop shots, but in the next game Roddick delivered three aces and won at the net twice, giving him the match.
Kohlschreiber made Roddick work for the win, but Roddick answered the challenge. If he continues to mix his powerful serve with his new proficiency at the net, Roddick has to be considered a serious contender for the Wimbledon championship.
“I said after Queens [the AEGON championship at Queen’s Club, England] as long as I can get through the first match or maybe the first two, I can start finding my stride and I think I’m doing that,” Roddick concluded.
Roddick made 71 percent of his first serves and scored 28 aces in the match, with no double faults. Kohlschreiber actually beat Roddick when coming to the net, 68 percent to 56 percent, but also made twice as many unforced errors, 30 to Roddick’s 14.
Roddick goes on to face Taiwan player Yen-Hsun Lu, ranked 82nd.
Roddick used his unstoppable serve, as expected, but also his remarkable mobility, as well as a new-found ability to serve and volley, to fight off a challenge from his German foe.
“The last two sets were real good,” Roddick told a Wimbledon.com interviewer. “I got a little complacent; he was being the aggressor for the majority of the first two sets. I turned around a little bit in the third and fourth set. He’s dangerous.
“I have had a couple rough matches here early on, and I am just happy to be through.”
Roddick, ranked fourth in the world, expected to roll over 35th-ranked Kohlschreiber. All the favorites on the men’s and women’s sides had defeated their opponents in straight sets earlier in the day.
But Kohlschreiber put up a fight. After dropping the first set 7–5, he fought back in the second set to win in 7–6 in a 7–5 tiebreaker.
In the second set, Roddick had to fight off multiple break points in the sixth game, then came back to force Kohlschreiber to face three set points with the score 5–4. Kohlschreiber answered the challenge and took the set to 6 all, before winning the tiebreaker.
This was when Roddick decided to take control. “It’s always a weird little area of a match after the high intensity of a [tie] breaker,” Roddick explained. “After you stop there is kind of a lull. I wanted to use that to make some returns there, and it ended up turning the match around.”
Roddick broke Kohlschreiber early in the third set, with second serves of 114 and 117 mph. But Kohlschreiber showed he had a powerful serve of his own, holding onto serve for the next two games.
Finally, with Kohl serving at 5–3, Roddick began coming to the net to win points, taking the set with fast feet and quick hands.
Roddick won the first three games of the fourth set, alternating blazing aces with serve-and-volley. Kohlschreiber fought back in the next game, taking it to deuce several time s before winning, but Roddick was totally in control in his service games, running his opponent all over the court and answering every effort Kohlshreiber could muster.
Kohlschreiber defended a match point at 5–2, beating Roddick wuith a pair of beautiful drop shots, but in the next game Roddick delivered three aces and won at the net twice, giving him the match.
Kohlschreiber made Roddick work for the win, but Roddick answered the challenge. If he continues to mix his powerful serve with his new proficiency at the net, Roddick has to be considered a serious contender for the Wimbledon championship.
“I said after Queens [the AEGON championship at Queen’s Club, England] as long as I can get through the first match or maybe the first two, I can start finding my stride and I think I’m doing that,” Roddick concluded.
Roddick made 71 percent of his first serves and scored 28 aces in the match, with no double faults. Kohlschreiber actually beat Roddick when coming to the net, 68 percent to 56 percent, but also made twice as many unforced errors, 30 to Roddick’s 14.
Roddick goes on to face Taiwan player Yen-Hsun Lu, ranked 82nd.
Friends Read Free