"I'm kind of freaking out, you need to come home" - When Andy Roddick revealed his conversation with wife Brooklyn Decker about retirementÂ
Andy Roddick is among the best players of his generation and had a pretty good career, winning 32 singles titles, including the 2003 US Open. The American ended his tennis career at the 2012 US Open and spoke about his retirement in an interview with Tennis Channel back in 2017.
He said that he entered the hardcourt Major thinking that he would play for another year or two. However, he considered ending his playing days the morning after winning his first-round match against compatriot Robert Williams.
The former World No. 1 said that he called his wife Brooklyn Decker and told her to come home as he was freaking out.
"It's funny. I decided to retire. I woke up the morning after I played my first round of the 2012 US Open. I was going into that tournament thinking I was going to play at least another year, probably two, and, the thought crept into my head that this could be the last tournament I play. So, my wife was out running some errands. I called her and said 'I'm kind of freaking out, you need to come home', and normally I am pretty clear about my thoughts, and I was not clear," Andy Roddick said.
Decker said that she was in a meeting when her husband asked her to come home.
"I was in a meeting and I had three missed calls from him and several text messages saying 'come home'. It was during the US Open and we were staying in a hotel, so I thought it was very strange and I ran to the hotel and walked into the room. He said 'I woke up this morning and I'm going to announce that I am retiring'", she said.
Roddick said that he decided to retire at around 10: 30 in the morning and announced it in a press conference that afternoon.
"We had a conversation, I told her what I was thinking and she said 'I can't make it for you but your reasons are sound'. There was a lot of other things I wanted to get to in life. So, I decided at about 10: 30 that morning that I was gonna stop playing and I think I was in a press conference at around 3 or 4 that afternoon retiring," the former World No. 1 said.
Andy Roddick lost to Juan Martin Del Potro in final match of his career
Andy Roddick went on to reach the fourth round of the 2012 US Open, where he faced Juan Martin Del Potro. The Argentine beat him 6-7(1), 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Roddick received a huge round of applause from the New York crowd after what turned out to be the final match of his career.