The Serve

Roddick out of answers

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There wasn’t much comfort to be had for Andy Roddick. Delivering perhaps his best performance against the world number one, the American walks away from his home grand slam a straight sets loser and with more doubts as to whether he can ever conquer the 11 time slam champion.

“I’m not walking off with any questions in my head this time,” Roddick said.

“I’m not walking with my head down. I played my ass off out there tonight. I played the right way. So, you know, it helps, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be pissed off.”

Roddick was supreme in the first two sets. Problem was, so was Federer. The 5th seed was the aggressor, throwing everything he could against his nemesis, without finding a way through. The Swiss legend coolly won the first set tie breaker 7-5, before administering the fatal blow: the second set tie break 7 points to 4, all without having a single break point.

Roddick had one break point in the first two sets.

The match was as good as over when Federer finally had a chance on Roddick’s serve in the sixth game of the third set. The opportunity was taken and Federer broke again in the eighth game to ram home his superiority.

Federer now owns a 14-1 record over the former world number one.

“I tried to hang in there. I didn’t have a break point until the third set,” Federer said.

“It was a tough match, and he was serving out of a tree.”