[路透]No Room, Worn Shoes, Unknown Wang Faces Roddick
Mon Jun 21, 9:13 AM ET By Alistair Holloway
LONDON (Reuters) -
When teen-ager Yeu-Tzuoo Wang takes on Andy Roddick
at Wimbledon Tuesday, about all they will have in common
is their presence on the pristine turf of the All England Club.
Roddick arrives fresh from winning the Stella Artois
title with more than $6.0 million in career winnings and
his choice of swanky London pads to call home for the
duration of the tournament.
Taiwanese Wang, 19, is ranked 181st in the world, has
worn out his insoles in his shoes, doesn't have a place
to stay and the $303.30 a day he gets for qualifying is
a necessity rather than a bonus.
"It is quite expensive, especially in London," he said.
Wang never expected to make it this far and did not book
his 80 pounds-a-night room for long enough, forcing him to
bunk down at his coach Mike Best's place.
Drawing second seed Roddick was a shock, Wang said, but
the match held no fear for him.
"I can't wait to play," he said. "(My father) said there
is nothing to lose, just play and have fun, as in life."
"JUST GUESS"
Wang trained in Florida before arriving in London and
former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has been drafted in to
help him prepare for Roddick's powerful serve, clocked at
a world record 153 mph at Queen's Club.
Wang said he would have to "just guess" where the
American's serves would land.
The odds on Wang advancing to the second round are
slim to none, but Best takes a longer view.
"Anything can happen on any given day but we know Andy
Roddick is probably one of the toughest assignments to have,"
the coach said.
"Over the next six months... (the aim is) to make a
strong move in the rankings and be into the top 100 and
top 50 at some point," he added.
Wang took up tennis at age seven, encouraged by his
parents, and looked up to players like American Michael
Chang and Spain's Carlos Moya.
Should he lose the game of his career Tuesday he will
still take home 9,040 pounds, enough to replace those insoles.
If he wins, a place in Wimbledon history will be carved and
with it a boost for tennis' growing popularity back home.
"Tennis is not so big in Taiwan where the biggest sport
is basketball but more people are enjoying tennis because
we are improving in the game," Wang said.
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