Roddick Pulls Out of Delray Due To Illness
From www.yellowtennisball.com
Roddick said he began feeling the flu-like symptoms Sunday before he played in the championship match of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, which he won, and he was feeling worse Monday.
“I woke up (Sunday) and I felt like I’d been hit by a bus,” Roddick said, adding that his body was aching and that he stayed in bed until a half-hour before the Memphis final started. “I woke up (Monday) morning and my bed was soaking wet from sweat during the night.”
It’s been eight years since Roddick last played in the Delray Beach ITC and he said that he was excited about returning to the tournament that was his first ATP-level event.
“I’m very disappointed. I’ve waited too long to come back and play this tournament,” said Roddick, a former resident of nearby Boca Raton where he played in high school.
“It’s just unfortunate timing. I was looking forward to coming back. South Florida always has supported me so much. There’s many reasons I wanted to get through this, but I honestly don’t feel I can go out there and give my best, and that’s something that I’m in a habit of doing. I need to get better before I play.”
Roddick had a bout with mononucleosis last summer, further prompting him to be cautious with any illness. “I’m not willing to risk that again,” he said.
Roddick, who is ranked No. 8 in the world, was not scheduled to play his first-round match until Tuesday night, but he decided to withdraw from the tournament on Monday so the player who takes his place will have time to prepare. ITC tournament director Mark Baron said he was disappointed, but that he appreciates the gesture by Roddick to pull out now instead of waiting until the 11th hour to decide.
“It could have been devastating if it happened before the match (Tuesday night),” Baron said. “I respect him for doing it today. Losing Andy does affect the tournament, of course. This is the strongest draw we’ve ever had in our history. It would have been even stronger if Andy could have played, but I respect him for pulling out at this time.”
Roddick’s decision to withdraw came 24 hours after he won in Memphis, his 30th ATP World Tour title that places him in elite company. He joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the only active tennis players to win at least 30 ATP titles. Roddick’s three-set victory Sunday against Canadian Milos Raonic ended when Roddick delivered a remarkable diving forehand shot down the line on match point. After the match, Roddick proclaimed that it was the “best shot I’ve ever hit in my life.” He said Monday that he was the first to view the shot on YouTube in the locker room after the match, and didn’t realize he had made it until “three seconds after the shot I heard the crowd go nuts.”
Roddick’s spot atop the ITC main draw bracket will be filled by qualifier Marinko Matosevic of Australia. Matosevic will face Dudi Sela of Israel in the first round.
Baron announced that Tuesday’s evening session would begin at 5:30 pm with a Ashley Fisher/Stephen Huss vs. Jack Sock/Donald Young doubles match, followed by a 7:15 pm Juan Martin del Potro vs Richard Berankis ATP World Tour first round match, followed by the ATP Champions Tour Final.
Share this article:
Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:
10sBalls Top Stories
- No Key Biscayne, No Problem; New Site, Same Great Miami Open Tennis Event
- 10SBALLS SHARES FAVORITE EPA TENNIS PHOTOS Of 2018
- THE PERFECT HOLIDAY GIFT FOR ANY TENNIS PLAYER & FAN
- ATP MEN’S TENNIS • WILL IT MOVE FROM LONDON TO MANCHESTER OR TOKYO OR SINGAPORE? OR TURIN?
- ALIX RAMSAY WRITES TO “TENNIS SANTA CLAUS” WITH HER WISHES • ANDY MURRAY!
- CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE JACK KRAMER CLUB – DECEMBER 15 TO 22 2018 • UTR • ORACLE • AND AN AWESOME NEW TENNIS EVENT
- 10sBalls.com Shares Alix Ramsay’s Rambling On About Tennis and The Holidays
- ROGER FEDERER JOINED BY RAFA NADAL FOR THE 2019 LAVER CUP FESTIVITIES IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- TENNIS PLAYERS’ UNION – IS IT NEEDED? BY MARK WINTERS
- Tennis News: Wilson’s Revolution Is Here – THE CLASH
- ROTTERDAM TENNIS TOURNEY DIRECTOR RICHARD KRAJICEK ANNOUNCES DAVID GOFFIN TO PLAY IN 2019 ABN AMRO
- JELENA VEMIC’S PHOTO GALLERY
- TENNIS NEWS FROM LONDON • 10SBALLS REPORTS ON THE LAWN TENNIS WRITERS HOLIDAY LUNCHEON AT WIMBLEDON’S DEBENTURE CLUB
- 10sBalls.com Shares a Great Gift For A Tennis Player – The Functional Tennis Match Journal
- BNP PARIBAS TENNIS OPEN NAMED 2018 WTA PREMIER MANDATORY TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT YEAR
In Case You Missed It
EUGENIE BOUCHARD NAMED 2018 TENNIS CANADA FEMALE PLAYER OF THE YEAR / EUGENIE BOUCHARD NOMMÉE JOUEUSE DE L’ANNÉE 2018 DE TENNIS CANADA
Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday that Eugenie Bouchard is the winner of the 2018 Excellence Awards in the Female Player of the Year and Singles Player of the Year categories.
TENNIS NEWS • CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS • TOMMY HAAS, TAYLOR FRITZ, STEVE JOHNSON, MARDY FISH AND MORE
Time to get tickets to watch! Surly you have heard about The Largest Open Tennis Event in America!
TENNIS NEWS • RAFA NADAL CONFIRMS RETURN TO PRACTICE, EYES ABU DHABI EXHIBITION AND AUSTRALIAN SUMMER
According to Uncle Toni, Rafael Nadal was supposed to be back at practice on either Dec. 4 or 5. Well, better late than never!
Conchita Martínez prepara la temporada 2019 de Karolina Pliskova en Tenerife
Española y checa ya trabajaron juntas durante el pasado Open de Estados Unidos