Tennis Week - The Igor Andreev Interview
By Scoop Malinowski
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Wielding his favored forehand with all the decisiveness of
a landlord armed with an eviction notice, Igor Andreev
knocked Andy Roddick out of the French Open first round in
May. Though he shares a record with Roger Federer, survived
a shot in the groin from Anna Kournikova and has forged a
friendship with Maria Kirilenko, the 24-year-old Muscovite
may be the most inconspicuous member of the Russian Davis
Cup team.
He's also been the most important player in Russia's run to
a second straight Davis Cup final.
Andreev has been the Russian closer in two of its three
Davis Cup victories this season.
Less than three weeks after Fernando Gonzalez reached the
Australian Open final, Andreev fearlessly went forehand to
forehand with Gonzalez for four sets in conquering the
Chilean strongman, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, in an
opening-round Davis Cup match against host Chile in La
Serena. Chile roared back to even the tie at 2-2 before
Andreev dismissed Nicolas Massu, 6-2, 6-1, 6-7(1), 6-4,
in the decisive fifth match to clinch the opening-round win
for Russia in February.
Seven months later, Andreev again rescued Russia by
trouncing Tommy Haas, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2, in the opening match
of the Davis Cup semifinal against Germany. When the
Germans rallied to level the tie at 2-2, Andreev again
answered the call, pounding Philipp Kohlschreiber, 6-3,
3-6, 6-0, 6-3, to send the defending Davis Cup champion
to its second straight final.
It marked the third time Andreev clinched a Davis Cup tie
following his 6-0, 6-2, 6-1, destruction of Paul-Henri
Mathieu in the decisive match to clinch Russia's 3-2
triumph over France in the 2005 quarterfinals.
Andreev beat the third-seeded Roddick in the opening round
of Roland Garros whipping such titantic topsin forehands
the ball appeared to be bouncing off the bed of a
trampoline at times as it bounded up shoulder high, pushing
Roddick into retreat behind the baseline. Roddick could not
find a way to diffuse Andreev's explosive forehand and was
unable to get to his backhand.
"It's kind of like pick your poison," Roddick said. "I felt
like I almost had to go to that shot, that forehand, to get
a look at his backhand, otherwise I wasn't seeing it, you
know, if I was just rallying to the backhand corner. He was
hitting that shot with authority, too."
An accomplished clay-court competitor, Andreev and World
No. 1 Roger Federer share a unique distinction as the only
men to beat reigning Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal on
clay during the last two years. Andreev dismissed Nadal,
7-5, 6-2, in the quarterfinals of Valencia in April of
2005. After the dust settled from that dirt defeat, Nadal
went on to register an Open Era winning streak of 81
consecutive clay-court victories before falling to Federer
in Hamburg.
He has won five of his last six Davis Cup matches and owns
an 8-3 singles record in Davis Cup competition. Given his
track record could Andreev draw a starting singles slot
this weekend?
It's possible, but not likely. While he's a terror on the
terre battue, Andreev needs time necessary to set up for
his lengthy strokes and though he reached quarterfinals on
faster surfaces in New Haven, Metz and Moscow this year,
American singles starter James Blake blew him out in
straight sets on the grass at Wimbledon. Both Blake and
Roddick have the ability to rush Andreev right out of
rallies on faster surfaces, which is why he likely won't
start a live singles match this weekend.
Tennis Week.com contributing writer Scoop Malinowski, who
like Andreev prefers to run around his backhand to lash out
with his forehand, caught up with the lanky, long-limbed
Andreev for this interview in which he identifies his
childhood tennis hero, the toughest competitor on tour now
and recalls the time Kournikova fired a shot with such
force into his groin it nearly neutered him.
Status: Member of Russian Davis Cup team. ATP rank is #33.
Winner of three career ATP singles titles. Has career wins
over Nadal, Roddick, Ferrero, Kiefer, Ljubicic, Agassi,
Mathieu, Monfils, Gasquet,
Height/Weight: 6-feet, 176 pounds.
Born On: July 14, 1983 in Moscow, Russia.
Tennis Inspirations: "Well when I was a kid my favorite
player was Andre Agassi, watching him on the TV all the
time. I like the way he played. And still watching him last
year was something unbelievable."
Hobbies/Interests: "I like to play hockey very much. Very
big fan of hockey. When I'm in Moscow I'm going to matches.
Trying to play with my friends. I like very much hockey."
Favorite Movies: "The Game. Hurricane Carter."
Musical Tastes: "Linkin Park."
First Job: "Ball kid in Moscow for Ladies Open."
First Car: "Honda Civic (black)."
Early Tennis Memory: "Just won a match when I was three
match points down in the breaker last set (age 11). And I
won the match and made third place in the tournament. Was
like the Russian championship. Keep it in my head forever
[smiles]."
Favorite Meal: "Pasta with tomato sauce or bolognese."
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Cappuccino ice cream."
Pre-Match Feeling: "Concentrate on my game. And just go
for my shots."
Greatest Sports Moment: "Winning my first tournament title
(in Valencia in 2005, defeated Nadal and Ferrer in final).
And the last point in Davis Cup (2005 quarterfinals), the
last match (fifth and decisive rubber) against France. I
beat Paul Henri-Mathieu."
Most Painful Moment: "Missing four months last year, knee
surgery."
Closest Tennis Friends: "Russians — (Mikhail) Youzhny,
(Nikolay) Davydenko, (Marat) Safin and Spanish — (David)
Ferrer, (Alex) Calatrava."
Funniest Players Encountered: "Me [smiles]."
Toughest Competitors: "This moment — Nadal. This moment,
very tough. He's defending well, it's so tough to finish
the ball. You think you like make a winner already against
anyone but Nadal it's a winner, but with him it's you never
know because he's running to the ball and you never know
when the point is finished."
Favorite Tournaments: "Moscow — my home tournament. And
Grand Slams."
Funny Tennis Memory: "Well, once when I was 17 I went to
practice with Kournikova, me and another guy (Pavel
Ivanov), in Miami, tournament before the Orange Bowl. It
was Sunshine Cup. We were making sparring to her and when
we were at the volley, she hit the ball so hard — and it
close to hit my balls so... So that happens, but, it was
very close, fun moment. I don't know if it's fun but for me
it wasn't fun but for them it was fun [smiles]."
Embarrassing Memory: "Can't remember."
Favorite Players To Watch: "I like Agassi."
People Qualities Most Admired: "The friendship. The
friendship is more important to me. And fairness."
http://www.tennisweek.com/news/fullstory.sps?inewsid=511036
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