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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, May 25, 2009

Tennis: Roddick gets 1st win at French since 2005


By HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer

PARIS — Andy Roddick is not setting his sights low at the French Open.
So what if he entered Monday without a victory at Roland Garros since 2005? So what if the red clay slows his speedy serve and powerful forehands?

“I’d like to make a second week here,” the sixth-seeded American declared after beating 305th-ranked Romain Jouan of France 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 in the first round. “I feel that’s a feasible goal and something that I’m surprised I haven’t done to this point in my career.”
Roddick stopped playing because of an injury after losing the first two sets of his opening match in 2006, was beaten in the first round in 2007, then missed last year’s French Open with an injury.
The best Roddick’s fared at the French Open was reaching the third round in his 2001 debut. He has had far more success at the other majors, winning the U.S. Open in 2003, reaching two Wimbledon finals and making the Australian Open semifinals three times.
“I don’t know if it’s in my makeup to not care about something. I don’t know if I’ve ever not cared about a match in any tournament,” Roddick said. “Obviously I know there is more of a ceiling at this event for me probably than any other event, as far as what I’m going to have to do with my game and kind of the limits that it puts on my style.”