"I get this anxious feeling every time" - Andy Roddick on Taylor Fritz, Frances Tiafoe bidding to become first American since him to win US Open title
Andy Roddick shed light on his anxiety ahead of the semifinal match at the 2024 US Open since he hopes to pass on the torch to a US player. Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz made the All-American semifinals, since Andre Agassi and Robby Ginepri at the 2005 US Open, and are an inch away from becoming the second US man after Roddick to claim the Major win.
The 42-year-old former tennis player bested 2003 French Open titlist Juan Carlos Ferrero in the 2003 US Open finals. He achieved the feat after surging past Argentinian former No.1 David Nalbandian in the semifinals. Roddick reached four Major finals (2004, 2005, 2009 Wimbledon, and 2006 US Open) since then but lost to his Swiss counterpart Roger Federer each time.
His 2003 US Open success catapulted him to World No. 1 by the end of the year, the first US man since Andre Agassi in 1999. He also became the youngest US player to earn the ranking since the commencement of computer rankings in 1973.
According to Roddick's recent statement in the Served podcast, it seemed like he wanted either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe to have the limelight from now on.
"American in the final, I want it all to end," said the 42-year-old in conversation with Jon Wertheim.
He added:
"I would love nothing more than for an American to win on Sunday...I get, I hate it, I get this anxious feeling every time they have to answer for it. I f***ing hate it for them. I want them to have it, I want them to clear. And frankly speaking, if one of them breaks this thing, they could all, they could start contending regularly."
Tiafoe and Fritz hold a 50% chance each to win the title against either semifinalist Jannik Sinner or Jack Draper.
Andy Roddick weighed in on another American player Coco Gauff after her early US Open exit
Last year's US Open titlist Coco Gauff, who defeated Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, exited from her 2024 US Open run early. The seven-time career singles titlist defeated Varvara Gracheva, Tatjana Maria, and Elina Svitolina in the first three rounds but couldn't get past her fellow US player Emma Navarro in the fourth (3-6, 6-4, 3-6).
Andy Roddick was not surprised to see the 20-year-old World No. 2 make a 4R exit, pointing out her service problems. He said:
"Coco Gauff - I didn’t choose her to go far just based on recent form. I liked when she acknowledged the serving problems in a press conference."
He further opined that Gauff needed time to 'reset and rebuild':
"She always gives all of the mental effort and she's fighting some demons right now. But she needs to get past this tournament in the defense of it to really kind of reset and rebuild."
The semifinal match between Tiafoe and Fritz is scheduled for 7 September 2024, at Arthur Ashe Stadium.