Roddick-ulously overrated

Many U.S. tennis fans were disappointed to see Andy Roddick retire from his first-round match at the French Open last week, but they shouldn't have been surprised. After all, it takes more than a power serve and a smile to zip through the draws on the tournament's red clay surface.\nThe courts at Roland Garros have been unforgiving to the big games of many U.S. hopefuls because they slow the pace of the ball and produce odd bounces. And because most Americans train on hard courts, they don't know how to move effectively on the loose clay and slide into shots. Or how to be patient enough to make it through the long points clay often causes.\nYoung European and South American players learn these skills at an early age because many of them still train on the tricky surface. They also learn what it takes to win a match on clay: stamina, strength, mental fortitude and expert shot selection.\nThis is exactly why an American man has not won Roland Garros since Andre Agassi (my personal hero) in 1999. So many in the new generation of U.S. men's tennis strive only to smack the ball as hard as humanly possible rather than focusing on consistency, shot selection and true strategy. Enter Andy Roddick.\nThis overrated, over hyped player was once purported to be the future of U.S. men's tennis, but he now seems to be spiraling quickly downhill. (For the record, I always thought James Blake was the future of U.S. men's tennis, and as of now, I seem to be correct. Take note, U.S. Davis Cup Captain Patrick McEnroe.)\nSorry Andy, but I'm not your No. 1 fan like so many other drooling, dreamy-eyed girls my age. Maybe it's because I actually know enough about tennis to realize all you have is a power serve and a fast forehand. And these days, that just doesn't cut it.\nPlayers like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal (the world's No. 1 and No. 2) have developed complete -- and very solid -- all-court games. They also have a mental toughness that rivals the strength of most nuclear power plants. Both of these are concepts that Roddick doesn't seem to comprehend.\nWhen something doesn't go his way, Roddick pouts and mouths off to the chair umpire or whatever line judge he's closest to. Or he simply switches coaches. (Right now, he's on his third coach since 2003 when he won his first Slam -- the U.S. Open.)\nMy point is that Roddick -- and most of the U.S. media -- is oblivious to his weaknesses. To start winning some Slams and keeping up with the big boys, Roddick will have to improve his streaky backhand and net game and learn that someone with consistency and good shot selection can almost always beat a power player. And if he needs proof of this fact, he can look at his own dismal records against players like Federer (1-10) and the consistently quick Aussie Lleyton Hewitt (2-6). \nHe also needs to lose the attitude. Though insanity worked for legends like Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe (both of whom, ironically, won several Slams but never the French), Roddick's anger seems to get in his way and cause him to lose matches, as well as irritate officials and the crowd.\nWhile Wimbledon and the U.S. Open have returned some of Roddick's best results, fans shouldn't get too eager to see Roddick hoist a trophy this summer because Federer and Nadal are hotter than the 90-degree weather they'll be playing in. I would advise Andy Roddick to covet his single U.S. Open trophy, to snuggle with it and put it under his pillow at night, because if he doesn't change his game and his attitude, he'll be coming up high and dry in future tournaments.