Andy Roddick To Compete In Winston-Salem Open

Written by: Staff on 3rd August 2011

Andy Roddick To Compete In Winston-Salem Open

Andy Roddick from United States returns the ball against David Ferrer from Spain during the 2011 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Quarterfinal between the United States and Spain at the Frank Erwin Center at the University of Texas at Austin, in Austin, Texas, 08 July 2011. EPA/LARRY W. SMITH |

Andy Roddick has joined the list of commitments to play in the Winston-Salem Open at Wake Forest University Aug. 20-27, tournament director Bill Oakes announced today.

Roddick, a former World No. 1 who is currently No. 12 in the South African Airways ATP rankings, will receive one of the tournament’s four wildcard entries.

“We are extremely pleased that Andy has decided to come back to Winston-Salem, where he has had so much success in the past playing for the United States in the Davis Cup,” Oakes said. “His addition gives the tournament all the top American players and makes an already-strong field even stronger.”

“It’s very important to note that Andy has never competed in a tournament the week prior to the U.S. Open throughout his entire professional career,” Oakes added. “So, it’s very significant that he made the commitment to play in the Winston-Salem Open, given the timing of our tournament just before the U.S. Open.”

Roddick joins fellow Americans Mardy Fish, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Ryan Harrison and Donald Young in the 48-player singles draw.

All told, 10 of the top 40 players in the latest South African Airways ATP rankings have committed. Other entrants include Jurgen Melzer, Bernard Tomic, Kevin Anderson, Marcos Baghdatis, Alexandr Dolgopolov, Nikolay Davydenko, Tommy Robredo and Ernests Gulbis, the winner last week in Los Angeles.

Roddick, 28, has won at least one ATP World Tour singles titles in each of the last 11 years. He won earlier this year in Memphis.

He has won 30 career ATP World Tour singles titles, including the 2003 US Open title. He won six tournaments in 2003, five in 2005.

He also has 20 runner-up finishes in his career, including four Grand Slams. Three times he has been the runner-up at Wimbledon – 2004, 2005 and 2009. All three times he lost in the finals to Roger Federer; Federer’s 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 victory in 2009 was perhaps Roddick’s most-heartbreaking defeat.

Roddick’s stay at No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP rankings lasted from March of 2003 through December of 2003.

He also has a 33-12 record in Davis Cup singles, including a perfect 5-0 record in Davis Cup matches in Winston-Salem.

In his debut as the U.S.’s No. 1 player in 2001, at age 19, he won two singles rubbers as the U.S. beat India in a World Group Qualifier at Joel Coliseum. In 2007, he won his opening match to pave the way for the U.S.’s much-hyped quarterfinal victory against Spain, which propelled the U.S. on to the Davis Cup championship. Then in 2008, he tacked on two more singles wins in a quarterfinal victory against France.

Roddick also played in the Flow Motors Invitational before turning professional.