- News>
- Tennis
Rocket Roddick all revved up for Masters challenge
Houston, Nov 12: World number one Andy Roddick sees the ATP Masters Cup as the way to justify his top tennis ranking, a challenge for year-end honors that delights the 21-year-old American.
Houston, Nov 12: World number one Andy Roddick sees the ATP Masters Cup as the way to justify his top tennis ranking, a challenge for year-end honors that delights the 21-year-old American.
"It's a cool stat, that no matter what, I can look back and say I was number one in the world," Roddick said. "I'm just kind of maybe renting the ranking until the Masters starts. It will all be settled here."
Roddick was to play his round-robin preliminary opener here yesterday against Spain's Carlos Moya with Germany's Rainer Schuettler and Argentina's Guillermo Coria meeting in other blue group starter.
Luck of the draw means the US Open champion has a relatively easier start to his bid for the year-end top ranking compared to Spain's second-ranked Juan Carlos Ferrero, the French Open champion.
Ferrero must face Australian Open champion Andre Agassi and Wimbledon winner Roger Federer in the red group as well as Argentina's David Nalbandian. At least one grand slam champion will not advance to the semi-finals.
"I'm almost looking at it as, 'ok, round robin is one tournament. If I do advance, that's a whole other tournament'," Roddick said. "I don't get too concerned with draws."
Roddick has a 26-point edge on Ferrero, who is trying to become the first Spaniard to finish the year atop the ATP rankings. With 20 points for each round-robin victory, 40 to win the semis and 50 to win the final, every match is crucial.
Bureau Report
"It's a cool stat, that no matter what, I can look back and say I was number one in the world," Roddick said. "I'm just kind of maybe renting the ranking until the Masters starts. It will all be settled here."
Roddick was to play his round-robin preliminary opener here yesterday against Spain's Carlos Moya with Germany's Rainer Schuettler and Argentina's Guillermo Coria meeting in other blue group starter.
Luck of the draw means the US Open champion has a relatively easier start to his bid for the year-end top ranking compared to Spain's second-ranked Juan Carlos Ferrero, the French Open champion.
Ferrero must face Australian Open champion Andre Agassi and Wimbledon winner Roger Federer in the red group as well as Argentina's David Nalbandian. At least one grand slam champion will not advance to the semi-finals.
"I'm almost looking at it as, 'ok, round robin is one tournament. If I do advance, that's a whole other tournament'," Roddick said. "I don't get too concerned with draws."
Roddick has a 26-point edge on Ferrero, who is trying to become the first Spaniard to finish the year atop the ATP rankings. With 20 points for each round-robin victory, 40 to win the semis and 50 to win the final, every match is crucial.
Bureau Report