Andy Roddick Laments USA Losing Tour Events

Written by: Staff on 30th August 2012

Andy Roddick Laments USA Losing Tour Events |

Andy Roddick has launched into his tennis business persona to lament the exodus of American ATP events. The former No. 1 and last American – in 2003 – to win a grand Slam event, made his thoughts known after reaching the US Open second round.

The former No. 1 now ranked 22nd, is particularly concerned about the pending move of the San Jose indoor event in February to Rio in 2014. “You don’t like losing tournaments, I don’t like that trend that’s been being set of taking tournaments from here internationally,” said the player who turns 30 this week. “When I started there were close to 20, 22 events here.

“Now I think we’re down to 12 or 13. It just speaks to the popularity of the game has grown globally the last 20 years and people want ATP tennis.”

Roddick is enough of an economic realist to realize that with the US becoming a declining economic power, the center of financial gravity is shifting to developing countries who are still growing.

And there appear to be no instant solutions. “Until we can step up in the marketplace, it’s always going to be, it’s free trade, also,” he said. “I don’t like seeing it ( San Jose ) go. I think we have one more year, which is nice.

“But I’m more concerned with our needing events like that for the generations coming up here.”

Topics: American tennis news, Andy Roddick, Roddick, Sports, Tennis News, US Open 2012