Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

Roddick remembers Agassi's Davis Cup intro
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-04 08:53

When he was just an impressionable teenager, Andy Roddick was thrilled with his duty as a Davis Cup practice partner for Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras.

Even if he took plenty of grief from Agassi.


Andre Agassi, seen here in February 2005, will end his five-year Davis Cup exile by opening up the United States' World Group first round clash against Croatia with a match against Ivan Ljubicic, one of the tour's in-form players. [AFP]
"Definitely as a 17-year-old, he liked to ride me a little," Roddick said with a smile. "But I loved it. It was kind of his way to see if I could overcome it a little bit, and I always had a blast with it."

Agassi saw something special in the future star.

"He was a phenomenal learner. You could see him absorbing every experience he was having," Agassi recalled. "That was certainly a great sign that he was going to have the career and future that he's now having."

Roddick enjoyed the perks of that job.

"I was close to the only player staying at the team hotel," he said. "I was 17, staying at the Ritz in L.A., and I had my own chef. It was fun."

Agassi chimed in: "What happened? Why aren't we staying at the Ritz this time?"

Roddick grinned and said, "You and Pete took off for a while, so it sort of just dropped down."

Agassi, who has played on three Davis Cup championship teams, is back after a five-year absence, so he and Roddick are reunited for the first-round matches against Croatia.

Agassi, who turns 35 next month, plays Ivan Ljubicic in Friday's opening match, with Roddick facing Mario Ancic in the second and final match of the day.

Twins Mike and Bob Bryan play the doubles on Saturday, with Ljubicic and Ancic scheduled to team up for that match. Two more singles matches are on Sunday.

Agassi, who hasn't played Davis Cup in recent years because he wanted to commit to all the rounds or not play at all, was persuaded by captain Patrick McEnroe to play whenever he is available. He's happy to be back.

"That's what separates the Davis Cup from everything else," Agassi said. "It's not just for yourself out there."

The United States, which has won the Cup 31 times, will be trying to end a nine-year drought that is the Americans' longest in 68 years. They made it to the 2004 finals, but lost to Spain in Seville.

Agassi is 30-5 in singles, with his victory total ranking second only to John McEnroe's 41.

Roddick, although only 22, already has played 19 matches for the United States and his 14-5 record includes an 11-0 mark on hard courts like the one in Carson. He lost both of his matches on clay last year in Spain.

Although the Americans are 104-14 in the United States and will be heavily favored, they're facing a dangerous opponent. Croatia eliminated the United States in the first round in 2003, with Roddick unable to play because of a wrist injury.

Ljubicic, 25, has made it to four tournament finals this year, losing each time. Three of those losses, however, were to Roger Federer. Ancic, 20, extended Roddick to four sets in last year's Wimbledon semifinals.

"It's unbelievable, playing for your country," Ancic said. "It's a really big match for us, so it means a lot to us. I hope we get some Croatian support. That would help."

Captain Nikola Pilic, realizing his team is the underdog, said things don't always go to form in Davis Cup.

"People get inspired. Going back my 44 years in Davis Cup, I saw a lot of things," Pilic said. "Anything is possible. When you play Davis Cup, you don't see the rankings and who is favored and who is not."

Agassi said both Ljubicic and Ancic are playing with confidence.

"They're obviously playing very well, both Ivan and Mario. Both these guys are showing they can beat anyone — the best in the world — on any given day," Agassi said. "We're going to have to play our best, figure out a way to win because the matches certainly won't be easy."



Barcelona held to goaless draw
Venus out of Dubai Open after 1st round
Milan Derby: AC Milan 1-0 Inter Milan
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

Nation sees the power of CPPCC proposals

 

   
 

China lashes out at US human rights violations

 

   
 

Birth defects on rise after checks loosened

 

   
 

Today's special: slam dunking super star

 

   
 

China experiences rising school dropout rate

 

   
 

US troop deaths in Iraq rise to 1,500

 

   
  Xie's tough battle: Commercializing the game
   
  Wizards escape Rockets 101-98
   
  Owen helps Real outgun Betis
   
  Agassi in Davis Cup, not Federer or Moya
   
  Serena Williams reaches Dubai quarters
   
  Ferrari could make a slow start, warns Schumi
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲国产夜色在线观看| 国产AV无码专区亚洲AV琪琪| 亚洲欧美一二三区| 精品综合久久久久久98| 国产女人乱子对白AV片| 一二三四在线视频社区8| 日本制服丝袜在线| 亚洲精品无码专区在线在线播放| 老八吃屎奥利给原视频带声音的 | 青草国产精品久久久久久| 国产精品一线二线三线精华液 | 色婷婷激婷婷深爱五月小蛇| 男男车车的车车网站免费| 女m羞辱调教视频网站| 丽娟女王25部分| 欧美激情一区二区| 伊人色综合视频一区二区三区| 美女羞羞视频免费网站| 国产三级精品三级在专区| 67194成人手机在线| 成人妇女免费播放久久久| 亚洲人成无码www久久久| 毛片免费vip会员在线看| 人妻熟妇乱又伦精品视频| 精品伊人久久大线蕉地址| 噜噜影院无毒不卡| 日本免费一区二区在线观看| 国产美女一级特黄毛片| 99久久精品国产一区二区蜜芽| 天天澡天天碰天天狠伊人五月| 一卡二卡三卡四卡在线| 性色爽爱性色爽爱网站| 久草热久草视频| 欧洲一卡2卡3卡4卡免费观看| 亚洲国产精品无码久久久蜜芽| 欧美高大丰满freesex| 亚洲精品中文字幕无乱码| 爱情岛永久免费| 啊灬啊灬别停啊灬用力啊免费| 草的爽免费视频| 国产精品k频道在线看|