New York, Sept 12: The question for Andy Roddick, just minutes after he was crowned U.S. Open champion on Sunday, came from a British journalist.
He was intrigued that Roddick's big game and rock-and-roll personality could do for men's tennis what the Williams sisters did for the women's game. So he began asking a sympathetic question. "I think this win's going to have enormous repercussions for the sport – a young guy with a bit of attitude –"
Roddick cut him right off there with a big smile and shouted facetiously, "Attitude? Attitude? I don't have an attitude." It was pretty funny, at least if you were American and shared Roddick's sense of humor. But if you didn't get it, Roddick may have come across as angry, or rude, or who knows what?
That's part of his problem. And his appeal. The 21-year-old American is the most intriguing player in men's tennis right now. From his booming serve that clocks more than 140 miles per hour, to his Hollywood looks and movie star girlfriend (Mandy Moore), Rocket Roddick is a happening on and off the court.

His development this summer into a truly elite player – a 19-match winning streak and his first Grand Slam title – gives him the substance to match the style. But Roddick rubs many international players, journalists and fans the wrong way. He is considered brash and loud, even if by American standards, he is neither. If he played in the NBA, Roddick would be closer to Bryce Drew than Rasheed Wallace.



But after a second-round defeat to Roddick, Croatian Ivan Ljubicic ripped him. "I don't like him," Ljubicic said. "Nobody in the locker room likes his acting on the court. He's a good player. But not because he's like that. It's just we don't like it. Because nobody acts that way. He's the only one.



"I'm just telling you the feeling of the guys in the locker room," Ljubicic said. "Every single player said to me, 'Good luck. Kick his ass.' "



After a semifinal defeat to Roddick, David Nalbandian, a Spaniard, expressed similar disdain and suggested that umpire calls were swayed toward him. Nalbandian even spit twice at the umpire at the end of the match.



Roddick says he doesn't care about the criticism, and he probably shouldn't. International players spent a fortnight here crying about everything from the fans to the traffic.



And while Roddick plays with emotion – in the semis to vent frustration he slammed a ball into the stands and another time shook the net – his behavior at the Open wasn't out of the ordinary. He certainly didn't spit at anyone.



"Everybody has their own personality and their own feelings about what tennis should be and the way it should be played," said Jimmy Connors, whose emotional style and confrontations with officials are legendary.



"Criticism is a part of everybody's success. And you know, for him, to make a jump to the forefront like he has, criticism is all a part of that. It's the way you handle it that counts."



Roddick doesn't look like a guy who is going to change, especially now that he is playing so well. He also fails to see what he is doing that is so grating.



"I try to treat everybody with a lot of respect," he said. "I'm not mean to people. I'm very courteous to people."



The reality is: All of this is good for tennis, which despite its country-club lineage isn't any different than other sports. It is at its best when there are rivalries, and not always friendly ones.



Men's tennis currently has an abundance of young stars. Seven of the top 10 players in the world are 25 or under, including the last three Grand Slam champs: Roddick, Roger Federer (Wimbledon) and Juan Carlos Ferrero (French Open). "It's certainly shaping up to be a really good group," Roddick said. "I think it's gonna make for a real exciting group."



And, perhaps, a contentious one. If in Europe Roddick is booed a bit, so be it. Just expect vice versa in the United States. Some white hats and black hats, a little bad blood and colorful press, can only help. It worked for Connors and John McEnroe, after all, and you get the sense Roddick knows that well.



"I'm just kind of pumped to be a part of it," he said with a smile


Bureau Report