Roddick quits French Open with injury
Star aggravates bad ankle against Martin, is jeered by crowd as he leaves
 David Vincent / AP Andy Roddick leaves the court after retiring in the third set of his first-round match against Spain's Alberto Martin at the French Open. Roddick had an ankle injury. |
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PARIS - As it is, the French Open is the cruelest Grand Slam tournament for Andy Roddick, the toughest for all U.S. men over the years, really. Toss in a bum ankle, and Roddick never really stood a chance this time.
He quit Tuesday because of his injury while trailing Alberto Martin of Spain 6-4, 7-5, 1-0 in the first round at Roland Garros, and the fifth-seeded American hobbled off the court to a chorus of full-throated boos and whistles.
His exit, combined with that of No. 17 Robby Ginepri, left the United States with only two men in the second round at the French Open for just the second time since 1967. It also happened two years ago; in 2005, a trio of Americans made it that far.
“It’s like ‘Groundhog Day,’ ” Roddick said. “Whatever I said last year, just copy it. Whatever I said last year, I’m sure it still fits.”
For the record, Roddick’s assessment in 2005: “We all have a lot of pride, and it has gotten taken down a lot in the last couple of years here.”
Unlike the hard courts at the U.S. Open — which he won in 2003 — or the grass at Wimbledon — where he’s been the runner-up twice — the red clay at the French Open hampers rather than helps Roddick’s strengths: his serve and forehand.
Clay also makes for longer points and requires plenty of good footwork, and Roddick sprained ligaments in his left ankle last week. He tweaked it in the eighth game against Martin, who’s ranked 68th, had lost his previous five matches at majors, and entered 0-4 vs. Roddick.
The ankle got worse when Roddick tried to cut back for a lob in the second set’s 11th game, which he closed with a double-fault to fall behind 6-5.
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“I was definitely tentative sliding around out there,” Roddick said. “It started affecting the way I landed on my serve. You know, not much else was working besides my serve. It was a lost cause, I think.”
He double-faulted twice starting the third set, and cursed loudly. He also hit a ball into the 20th row of the stands. After losing the game at love on a forehand that sailed 5 feet long, Roddick sat in his sideline chair. He removed his left shoe, sock and ankle brace, and called for a trainer.
“What do you think?” Roddick asked. “Do you think it’s dangerous?”
He decided to stop, the chair umpire informed the crowd, and Roddick walked off Court Suzanne Lenglen to a nasty serenade, his career mark at the French Open now 4-6, including three first-round departures.
“I don’t like that the crowd boos a player. I wouldn’t like it to happen to me,” Martin said. “We’re professionals here. We come to do our jobs. We try to do our best. It’s a bit sad that people boo when you’re just doing your job.”
Consider this: No. 25 Gael Monfils was jeered for giving the chair umpire a hard time during his 6-4, 6-7 (2), 1-6, 6-2, 6-1 comeback victory over fellow 19-year-old Andy Murray — and Monfils is French.
“You know you’re acting up a little bit, when your own crowd is booing you,” Murray said.
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Most of the seeded men fared OK, however, including the one with the roughest assignment: No. 9 Fernando Gonzalez, who beat two-time major champion Marat Safin 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, 6-1. Safin was fined for refusing to do a post-match news conference.
The men’s seeded losers were No. 18 Thomas Johansson, Roddick and Ginepri, a semifinalist at the 2005 U.S. Open. If part of Roddick’s problem was his health Tuesday, Ginepri’s was in his head, and he freely admitted as much.
“I’m out there, and I’m wondering: How am I going to win the next point? I’m questioning. I’m not out there trusting my instincts, I’m not out there believing I can overcome whatever I need to,” he said. “I don’t feel that hunger that I’ve had.”
So he joined countrymen Paul Goldstein, Vince Spadea and Justin Gimelstob on the sideline. Left among U.S. men? No. 8 James Blake (who faces clay-court expert Nicolas Almagro) and Kevin Kim (vs. defending champion Rafael Nadal).
“Right now, obviously, we’re not in a dominating position,” Roddick said.
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