Roddick’s dream for fifth Queen’s crown shatters

LONDON: Israel’s Dudi Sela quashed fourth-seed Andy Roddick’s bid for a record fifth title at the Queen’s club with a shock 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) victory in the third round. This was Roddick’s worst result since his debut in 2001 and has been beaten only five times in the 34 matches he has played at the pre-Wimbledon warm-up tournament.

World number 63 Sela started to make an impact when he broke in the third game and Roddick found it impossible to make any dent on the Israeli’s serve as his opponent closed out the first set with minimum fuss.

Roddick was able to hold serve more convincingly in the second set but his failure to mount any concerted threat to Sela’s serve meant a tie-break was inevitable. The American then wasted a set-point when he sent a volley wide at 6-5 before a fabulous Sela cross-court winner saved another set-point.

Another blistering winner down the line gave Sela a match-point which he squandered. But Roddick netted tamely at 8-8 and Sela made him pay with a superb diving volley to clinch one of the best wins of his career.

Lacklustre preparation

It was the worst possible preparation for Roddick as he attempts to make amends for last year’s agonising 16-14 final set defeat to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final.

Roddick’s lacklustre clay-court campaign, which ended with a shock third round exit from the French Open against Teimuraz Gabashvili, had suggested he is playing way below his best at present.

Roddick remains confident

Despite his recent dismal performance, world number seven Roddick insists he will not panic.

“I’m not worried about being able to know how to play on a grass court. I know how to do that,” said Roddick. “A match at Queen’s isn’t going to ruin what I’ve done on this surface for the last eight years and how I’ve started off this year.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2010.