The Refreshing Mr. Roddick

By Joel Drucker

Roddick used a big forehand in his workman like dismissal of Paul Goldstein.

Andy Roddick picked up his tools and went back to work last night. His 6-3, 6-4 win over Paul Goldstein at the SAP Open in San Jose was nothing more or less than a first round match. A swift counterpuncher, Goldstein tested Roddick in the second set, but with Goldstein serving at 4-4 deuce, Roddick struck a big forehand that smacked both lines. “Way to pull the trigger,” Roddick said just loud enough for those sitting courtside to hear. And then another forehand. Soon enough, Roddick served it out.

Though he's wise enough to publicly declare last month's Australian Open “behind me,” Roddick also knows that semifinal loss to Lleyton Hewitt vexed him. “I wasn't happy when I left Australia ,” he said last night, “but this is what I do. I'm not going to stay home and put. I just want to get back on the horse.”

There is a no-nonsense quality Roddick brings to his tennis that might well make him the most refreshing American champion of the Open Era. He's candid, aware of what he's done and attuned to what he's lacking. When I asked him earlier this week about the one thing he hopes to improve with his new coach, Dean Goldfine, Roddick said, “I'm not good enough to think there's just one thing I need to improve. I want to improve everything – my movement, my transition game, all of it.”

“I wasn't happy when I left Australia," Roddick said after his tough loss to Lleyton Hewitt in Australia.

Probably one of the best things that happened to Roddick was that he won a Grand Slam singles title in only his third year as a pro. In contrast, Andre Agassi didn't bag one until his sixth season – all the way trying to reconcile expectation with performance. That Roddick's stayed ahead of the curve keeps him fairly upbeat. But even more, even if he hadn't won a Slam, Roddick's angst-free approach to tennis is quite a contrast to the paranoia of Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe. Nor does he appear to labor the tennis life the way Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Michael Chang did – champions all, but so laser-focused in their pursuit that they might not have savored their victories too much.

But let's not think Roddick is just a happy-go-lucky kid with a big serve. He is willing to make hard decisions. In the last 18 months he's fired two coaches. While the transition from Tarik Benhabiles to Brad Gilbert seemed understandable – Gilbert's sharp tactical mind was needed to take Roddick to the next level – there's been a lot of mystery about why Gilbert was let go. To think that just a year ago, Roddick finished the year number one while working with Gilbert. Ending up number two in 2004 behind a player as great as Roger Federer isn't too bad either.

Like all break-ups, we'll never know the full story. Even Roddick and Gilbert might not know all the reasons, at least consciously. Stories have been written, most notably by tennisreporters.net's Matt Cronin, that sharply explore the nuances of Roddick, Gilbert, Roddick's family and other issues. Very informative, so I won't bother repeating much here.

But I will say what I know about Dean Goldfine. Though nowhere near as prominent in the greater sports world as Gilbert, Goldfine is respected inside the locker. He spent seven years working with Todd Martin. I myself spent enough time around Goldfine and Martin to know that this was one of the most thoroughly professional player-coach teams on the tour. From workouts on the court to time in the gym, on the track, huddles with other experts (such as Jose Higueras) and keen post-match discussions, Martin and Goldfine left no stone unturned.

Andy Roddick brings a no-nonsense quality and a monster serve to his tennis. He might well be the most refreshing American champion of the Open Era.

Goldfine is also extremely low-key, which can likely keep the high-energy Roddick more tranquil. Goldfine also strikes me as having minimal concerns about his visibility and ego, to the point where, like a good doctor, he'll make his share of referrals. I wouldn't be surprised, for example, to see Roddick spend some time with someone like Higueras talking about how to better hit his backhand.

How much will Roddick benefit from Goldfine? I wish I knew. But surely we should divorce ourselves from the notion that a tennis coach operates similarly to a football coach. The tennis coach is not a pilot. In tennis, Roddick is not just the player, but also the team owner and general manager. He's paying the coach's salary, and while the coach can weigh in all he wants, it's strictly up to the player if he wants (or can) make a change in his game on the practice court or during a match. Roddick right now is certainly willing to play it out with Goldfine for a good long while. While you won't likely hear that much from Goldfine, count on Roddick to continue speaking his mind through thick and thin.

Your comments are welcome. Let us know what you think about Joel Drucker's article by emailing us here at TennisOne .

Jimmy Connors Saved My Life: A Personal Biography

Longstanding TennisOne writer Joel Drucker has just published his first book, Jimmy Connors Saved My Life: A Personal Biography.  Mr. Drucker provides the most thorough examination ever attempted of one of the most complex characters in recent sports history. The book is both a comprehensive biography of the controversial tennis star and a look at how the author's life intersected and conflicted with Jimbo's. 

The book includes extensive analysis of Connors' tennis, including the vital impact his mother had as his primary coach, as well as the significant work the great Pancho Segura did in his formative years. Also covered are a great many of Connors' most important matches, as well as many personal interactions Drucker had with Connors that reveal unusual sides to him.