Roddick sees results after switch in coaches
Roddick sees results after switch in coaches
By Mark Ambrogi
July 21, 2003
Brad Gilbert was looking for the right pupil for his return to coaching.
Andy Roddick was seeking a fresh approach.
So far, the mix seems to be the right one.
"Literally from the first day we started, things meshed pretty good,"
Gilbert said. "We had a good start and, hopefully, things will only get better."
The two hooked up following Roddick's first-round exit in the French Open.
Roddick, the top seed in the RCA Championships and ranked sixth on the ATP
Tour, won the Queen's Club tourney and then reached the semifinals at
Wimbledon.
"(Gilbert) brings a lot of excitement and passion and it kind of rubs off,"
Roddick said. "He came in and said, 'I believe you can win Queen's and win
Wimbledon.' That makes you step back and say, 'This is good, this guy actually
thinks I can do those things.' I almost pulled it off. I came two matches
short."
Roddick, who turns 21 on Aug. 30, decided to part with Tarik Benhabiles,
his coach since August 1999. Roddick said they remain good friends.
"We always knew we would be friends a lot longer than we'd be player and
coach," Roddick said.
Gilbert ended his nearly eight-year term as Andre Agassi's coach in January
2002.
Gilbert had some offers to return to coaching. But it didn't feel right
until Roddick called.
"The time off was great," Gilbert said. "I'm kind of invigorated now and
it's a great opportunity with Andy. I'm blessed that Andre gave me an
incredible opportunity and now I get another unbelievable opportunity again."
The 41-year-old Gilbert, who owns 20 career ATP titles, likes Roddick's game
and his attitude.
"He's got that personality that is similar to Andre in that you want to be
around him," Gilbert said. "He's a good people person. He loves sports like
me. We have a good time hanging out with each other."
Gilbert isn't making many adjustments in Roddick's technique. There will be
time for that tinkering in the offseason.
Yet Roddick said Gilbert has helped in preparation.
"He's very good at dissecting your opponent," Roddick said. "He'll be out
watching their full match the day before and maybe even watch practices to
maybe pick up some tendencies. He's a great student of the game and he's not
afraid to put in the hours."
Roddick wants Gilbert to help him become a world champion. Reaching the
Wimbledon semifinals was the first time he made it past a quarterfinal in
a Grand Slam.
"I'm disappointed I couldn't take it all the way, but it was a definite
improvement and I thought I made a lot of progress during that month at
London," Roddick said. "But that being said, it's over now and I'm looking
to progress."
Gilbert understands American tennis fans are eager to see Roddick win a
Grand Slam, but he isn't adding any pressure.
"You can't just say, 'I've got to win the next Slam.' If you get caught up
in the situation that you're playing to meet other people's expectations,
you're going to get in serious trouble," Gilbert said. "You can't control
what happens outside the court. You can control what happens on the court,
so just stick to that."
Roddick has taken that approach to heart.
"I have faith that I'll have my time, but I'm not going to rush it," he said.
"If it's going to happen, it's going to happen."
All he can do is work hard on improving, he said. Fans and media members
have to realize he has not been on the tour that long.
"I had such a rapid rise that people got excited really quickly," said
Roddick, who has seven career tour titles. "But it's not as easy as it looks."
Following Indianapolis, Roddick will play in Washington, Montreal and
Cincinnati before taking a week off just before the U.S. Open.
"I'm always good when I play a lot of matches," he said. "These weeks are
easy for me. It's not like a grind when I'm in foreign place and I don't
speak the language. This is all good."
Plus, he said hardcourts are his favorite surface.
Roddick currently is fifth in the ATP Champions Race. He is seeking to make
the eight-man Tennis Masters Cup, held in Houston in November.
"His goal is for the Masters because he hasn't made it yet," Gilbert said.
"Then we'll re-assess things for next year."
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今年非常有機會闖進名人杯，實現他許下的願望.
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