Before the French Open began, ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe all but predicted what happened to Andy Roddick, a first-round loser for the fifth time in Paris. “His chances of doing well are pretty slim,” McEnroe had said in a conference call.
A nagging hamstring injury and recent history, including a fourth-round exit in the Australian Open, led McEnroe to that the conclusion.
But Roddick also has done little of note in any major since a magical run to the Wimbledon final in 2009. Since then, Roddick has reached two quarterfinals in 10 major appearances. In the previous 10 before that Wimbledon final, Roddick reached one final, two semifinals and three quarterfinals.
At 29, it’s fair to wonder: What does Roddick have left? The rest of the summer will provide the answer with Wimbledon and the U.S. Open — two of his best events — as well as the Olympics. Roddick’s not just battling an injury; he’s fighting an ongoing decline.
– John Keim
