Breaking Water

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I'm weeping about as much as I was in that stadium in Portland, Oregon, when we won the Davis Cup over Russia.

Andre Roddique has advanced to the second week of Roland Garros for the first time in his long-ish career without dropping a set, without dropping his serve.

I knew he had it in him. I've seen him play beautiful clay court tennis. But today was like nothing I've ever seen. Marc Gicquel had no chance.

7 aces. No double faults. 27 winners. 11 unforced errors. 3 break points saved. 4 of 7 (57%) break points converted. 17 of 24 (71%) at net. 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

"I played very well," Roddick said. "I knew the crowd would not be for me but they were very respectful.

"It's a lot better than I have done here before but it's only three matches."

He served like a genius and slid like a Frenchman.

I'm absolutely snotty.

Karen put it this way:

Did you guys hear about the possession at Roland Garros? Apparently, this guy has been possessed by Gustavo Kuerten (even though he is still alive). His name is Andy Roddick and he is an American with a fear of red clay. He is about to beat a Frenchman, on clay, in Roland Garros. People are speculating that he may have been possessed. I was watching the match and saw Andy do a couple of drop shots, but the shot of the match for me was the sliced backhand dropper. Federesque actually.

Christopher Clarey, Larry Stefanki, and Gicquel put it like this:

His play has not always been flashy or even particularly overpowering, but it has been consistently efficient, intense and intelligent, which is the only way someone like Roddick can roll through three straight matches on clay without losing a set.

“It’s not about power,” his coach Larry Stefanki said. “It’s about hitting spots and getting guys out of position and then it may take two or three more balls after that, which he’s not accustomed to. And for him to be doing that is a big, big improvement and accomplishment.”

(...)

“If I’d played on Court 2 or Court 3, I might have played better,” Gicquel said. “But who wouldn’t want to be on a big court? Hey, he played well. He didn’t give away points. When he gave me some, it was at 30-0 or 40-15 on his serve at stages that are not necessarily so important.”

Even against an edgy opponent, Roddick’s tactical and technical progress were on impressive display.

(...)

On Sunday, he will get a day off in Paris. On Monday, for a change, it will be back to work on clay and against Monfils.

Allez!