Roddick ‘could not imagine we had been enjoying for that cash’ in rushed Nadal closing
Andy Roddick has recalled his “rushed” Indian Wells doubles victory that got here following a disappointing defeat to Rafael Nadal. The now-retired American star believes that the Californian Masters 1000 match presents the most effective alternative for singles gamers to cross over. And he remembered one particular facet of his title with Mardy Fish – the cash they earned for lifting the trophy.
With Indian Wells underway, Roddick appeared again on his mad sprint between heartbreak within the singles and glory within the doubles again in 2009. The former world No. 1 did not elevate the singles trophy throughout his glittering profession – one of many few large trophies he failed to gather in his house nation.
He did get pleasure from success within the doubles with countryman Fish nevertheless it was a fast turnaround after dropping to Nadal within the singles semi-final. The Spaniard got here by 6-4 7-6(4) and ultimately went on to win the match. Roddick additionally ended the week with a trophy, although it wasn’t a part of the plan.
“We won it accidentally one time in 2009, Mardy and I did,” Roddick stated on his Served podcast. “Mardy won with like five different partners that year, I think he could’ve won with my cat. I think I was a very, very small part of it.”
The 2003 US Open champion was left gutted when Nadal dashed his hopes of profitable the singles match. But he rapidly got here round when he realized what was on supply within the subsequent match, £88,300 ($112,500). Roddick added: “I remember losing to Rafa at the semis and then coming off and I was like, ‘Okay, we have an hour until we play doubles.’
“And you know, I’m like mad I lost to Rafa. It’s the only North American event that I didn’t end up winning. So I kind of wanted to win it but I come off the court and said to Mardy, ‘What do we get if we win this match?’ And he told me the number and I couldn’t believe we were about to play two sets and a tiebreaker for that sum of money in the doubles event.”
As two prime singles gamers, it was one thing of a shock when Roddick and Fish collectively. But they weren’t the one gamers to cross over and kind a pairing that week. “So we ended up winning against Miryni and Ram but we played a bunch of singles teams,” Roddick continued.
“We played like Gasquet Wawrinka one round. They pack the stadiums, they get the extra sessions.” It’s no totally different this 12 months, as a number of prime singles guys have signed as much as tackle the additional matches together with Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, Britain’s Dan Evans and top-15 star Grigor Dimitrov.
And Roddick isn’t stunned, branding Indian Wells the most effective two-man match to play in. He defined: “I think it’s the best doubles draw of the year outside of the Olympics where people would take a gold medal in a distant spitting competition, a gold medal is a gold medal.
“The men on tour, there is not really any other tournament besides Miami and Indian Wells where you play it over 10 or 11 days but you don’t extend the format. It’s not a three out of five set situation, you’re playing max two or three sets.”