DESPITE BEING CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AT WIMBLEDON, RODDICK MADE HONORARY MEMBER OF ALL-ENGLAND CLUB

Written by: Staff on 9th December 2014

Andy Roddick of the US reacts to the crowd as they cheer following his loss to Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during their fourth round match on the tenth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 05 September 2012. The match is Roddick's last as a singles tennis player as he had announced at the start of the US Open that he would retire whenever this US Open ended for him. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO

epa03385247 Andy Roddick of the US reacts to the crowd as they cheer following his loss to Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during their fourth round match on the tenth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 05 September 2012. The match is Roddick's last as a singles tennis player as he had announced at the start of the US Open that he would retire whenever this US Open ended for him. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

Despite being close but no cigar at Wimbledon, Roddick made honorary member of All-England Club

By Ricky Dimon

Andy Roddick may never have triumphed at Wimbledon, but he was made an honorary member of the All-England Club last week. The former world No. 1 and the United States’ most recent Grand Slam champion (2003 U.S. Open) recently received an official Wimbledon tie to mark his membership.

“I was really humbled,” Roddick assured. “There are a lot of things that we definitely take for granted having been in the tennis world over many years, but that was one where I was a little bit floored by it. It is something I didn’t expect at all.

“You never feel worthy or deserving of such a big honor and to kind of go there the other day and go to members parts (of the club) that I had never been to before was very surreal. It’s just an honor.”

Roddick toured the club last Friday with former Wimbledon semifinalist Tim Henman, whom he beat 6-4, 2-6, 10-6 in the Statoil Masters event at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

“I was able to take him to Wimbledon a couple of days ago because he’s being made an honorary member, which he was so excited about, having been a three-time finalist,” Henman said. “If you win the tournament you become a member automatically, but I think with his impact in that event and his rapport with the British crowd it was felt that it would be a really nice gesture.”

Roddick’s tournament resume includes three runner-up finishes, all to Roger Federer. The American lost 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3), 6-4 in 2004, 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-4 in 2005, and 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14 in 2009. He also endured memorable five-set losses to Richard Gasquet (2007 quarterfinals) and Yen-Hsun Lu (2010 fourth round) and scored a big 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(5) semifinal win over Andy Murray in 2009.

Other members who were runner-ups at Wimbledon but never captured the title are Ken Rosewell, Tony Roche, and Fred Stolle.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: All England Club, Andy Roddick, Royal Albert Hall, Statoil Masters, Tennis, Tim Henman, Wimbledon

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10sBalls_com says:

December 9, 2014 at 3:51 pm

DESPITE BEING CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AT @Wimbledon, @andyroddick MADE HONORARY MEMBER OF ALL-ENGLAND CLUB- http://t.co/mPMhfBXEbk #tennis
RD_Tennistalk says:

December 9, 2014 at 4:37 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: DESPITE BEING CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AT @Wimbledon, @andyroddick MADE HONORARY MEMBER OF ALL-ENGLAND CLUB- http://t.co/mPMhfB…
ohmygodnadia says:

December 9, 2014 at 5:25 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: DESPITE BEING CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR AT @Wimbledon, @andyroddick MADE HONORARY MEMBER OF ALL-ENGLAND CLUB- http://t.co/mPMhfB…