Andy Roddick recalled the time he faced Andy Murray at Wimbledon back in 2009.
The 42-year-old developed a reputation for having one of the best serves in the history of professional tennis.
The American ended his career as a former World number one player and with the 2003 US Open title to his name.
But in 2009, he had an opportunity to add to his Grand Slam haul, and he had to get past Britain’s most successful player in the modern era to do it.
Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty ImagesAndy Roddick recalls facing Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2009 which was ‘insane’ and how it helps Jack Draper now
In 2009 Andy Roddick was in pursuit of his second Grand Slam title and his first at Wimbledon.
After taking out Lleyton Hewitt in five sets, Roddick reached the semi-finals where he was due to face Andy Murray, the British number one at the time.
Roddick claimed victory in four sets, but he recalled the intense build-up to the match and the pressure and scrutiny that was on Murray to become the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.
“Murray mania all the time. To give you a sense of how nuts it is there, I made the semis in 2009. You got to Aorangi Park or wherever to hit and his practice court is surrounded. You cannot get a 40 minute hit in without some picture being taken,” Roddick said on his ‘Served’ podcast.
“He has an energy bar and it’s like what is this, they actually treat this as news. It’s absurd. I woke up in 2009 and at this point I had won Queen’s four times and I was the second best player in the world on grass for a moment in time.
“I had made the finals of Wimbledon twice, the semis again. It wasn’t like I was a dud. I find myself in the semis, beat Hewitt in five in the quarters and I wake up to a preview of the final – Murray vs Federer. And so I am seeing that and thinking this is ridiculous, I can only imagine what Murray’s life looked like for a moment in time.
“I always equate it to the Red Sox not having won since whenever, the Cubs not having won, there were 10’s of millions of people – and if I am hyperbolic saying 100 million people, it’s not by much. Around the UK they had screening parties. Imagine when a team wins a game at the World Cup, that was when Murray won. In an individual sport, one person.”
Roddick went on to describe how what Murray went through helps Jack Draper, who is the current British number one and is aiming to create some history of his own.
“I am sure some of that is probably mitigated by Murray’s successes [for Draper] you are not trying to break Fred Perry’s record from the 20’s,” he added. “So him having done it probably softens the first time since x of things a little bit but it is mania.”
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty ImagesDid Andy Roddick win the 2009 Wimbledon Championships?
Roddick overcame the British crowd to claim a 6-4 4-6 7-6(7) 7-6(5) victory over Murray and advance to his third Wimbledon final.
As was the case in his previous two finals at SW19, Roddick faced Roger Federer, who was going for a record sixth Wimbledon title.
Roddick won the first set before Federer took a two sets to one lead, but Roddick fought back to send the final into a deciding set.
The final set was one of the best in Wimbledon finals history. After 30 games of high-quality and dramatic tennis, Federer prevailed 5-7 7-6(6) 7-6(5) 3-6 16-14 after four hours and 16 minutes to once again write his name into the Wimbledon record books.