- News>
- Tennis
Rocket Roddick left ranting and raging in loss to Henman
Paris, Nov 02: Henman`s brand of serve-volley tennis consistently foxed the U.S. Open champion who became increasingly bad tempered as the match slipped away. He earned a code of conduct warning at the end of the first set for banging his racket into the court.
Paris, Nov 02: Henman's brand of serve-volley tennis consistently foxed the U.S. Open champion who became increasingly bad tempered as the match slipped away. He earned a code of conduct warning at the end of the first set for banging his racket into the court.
Henman also beat Roddick in the semi-finals of the Washington Classic in August, which the Briton won, and leads 2-1 in career matches. Roddick, winner of six tournaments this year, now travels to Houston for the eight-man, season-ending Masters Cup where he will defend his ranking against Spain's Juan-Carlos Ferrero -- the previous number one -- and Federer. From the first point Henman, whose season has been disrupted since shoulder surgery, hit with precision and superb length to have Roddick scampering along the baseline trying to plug the gaps in his defence. Roddick had conceded just two break points in the tournament but his service was broken to 15 in the opening game.
The American hoped the stream of flowing shots to every corner of the court would eventually slow and it did in the sixth game when Henman was forced to save one break point.
The 21-year-old Roddick played the shot of the tournament to win his next service game, chasing a lob to the back of the court before playing a rocket return through his legs which Henman netted in disbelief.
Henman -- once ranked as high as four -- saved another three break points in his next service game, one with an ace which Roddick thought was out and he hurled his racket to the floor.
Fired up, Roddick allowed the Briton just two points in the next three games, breaking Henman to love when he was serving for the set.
The tiebreak was a cagey affair until, at 4-4 on his service, Roddick netted a backhand to give Henman a mini-break. Another error allowed Henman to win it 7-4.
The second set was tense rather than beautiful to watch as an increasingly fractious Roddick sought to raise his game to the level that won him the U.S. Open.
Henman had one match point in the 10th game which Roddick saved with a volley. Again Roddick's game turned ragged in the tiebreak and he handed Henman a 5-1 lead before Henman's last-minute jitters.
Semi-final results in the Paris Masters on Saturday Tim Henman (Britain) beat 2-Andy Roddick (U.S.) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7) Andrei Pavel (Romania) beat 14-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 6-2 4-6 6-4
Bureau Report
Henman also beat Roddick in the semi-finals of the Washington Classic in August, which the Briton won, and leads 2-1 in career matches. Roddick, winner of six tournaments this year, now travels to Houston for the eight-man, season-ending Masters Cup where he will defend his ranking against Spain's Juan-Carlos Ferrero -- the previous number one -- and Federer. From the first point Henman, whose season has been disrupted since shoulder surgery, hit with precision and superb length to have Roddick scampering along the baseline trying to plug the gaps in his defence. Roddick had conceded just two break points in the tournament but his service was broken to 15 in the opening game.
The American hoped the stream of flowing shots to every corner of the court would eventually slow and it did in the sixth game when Henman was forced to save one break point.
The 21-year-old Roddick played the shot of the tournament to win his next service game, chasing a lob to the back of the court before playing a rocket return through his legs which Henman netted in disbelief.
Henman -- once ranked as high as four -- saved another three break points in his next service game, one with an ace which Roddick thought was out and he hurled his racket to the floor.
Fired up, Roddick allowed the Briton just two points in the next three games, breaking Henman to love when he was serving for the set.
The tiebreak was a cagey affair until, at 4-4 on his service, Roddick netted a backhand to give Henman a mini-break. Another error allowed Henman to win it 7-4.
The second set was tense rather than beautiful to watch as an increasingly fractious Roddick sought to raise his game to the level that won him the U.S. Open.
Henman had one match point in the 10th game which Roddick saved with a volley. Again Roddick's game turned ragged in the tiebreak and he handed Henman a 5-1 lead before Henman's last-minute jitters.
Semi-final results in the Paris Masters on Saturday Tim Henman (Britain) beat 2-Andy Roddick (U.S.) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7) Andrei Pavel (Romania) beat 14-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 6-2 4-6 6-4
Bureau Report