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Wunderkind Teenager Roddick shocks Sampras at Ericsson Open
Updated: Monday March 26, 2001 10:53 AM
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) -- He cracked aces at 130 mph and up, outplayed Pete Sampras from start to finish and doffed his cap to the vanquished champion as they shook hands at the net. Only then did Andy Roddick act his age: He sat down in his changeover chair and grinned like a kid at Christmas. The gangly 18-year-old from Boca Raton lived up to the hype and hopes for the next generation of American men's tennis Sunday, upsetting Sampras 7-6 (2), 6-3 in the third round of the Ericsson Open. It was a breakthrough victory for Roddick, the world's No. 1 junior last year. "Definitely the future of American tennis is looking very good," a gracious Sampras said. "He'll just get better and better." Roddick, out of high school less than a year, is ranked No. 119 and climbing. He's the best bet yet to provide a worthy successor to the generation of Grand Slam champions that includes Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Michael Chang. "People have been saying that for almost a year and a half now," Roddick said. "I'm kind of used to it, and I embrace it. I like it." Midway through the third round, the fourth-seeded Sampras became the fourth casualty among the top 10 men. No. 5 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who has never reached the quarterfinals at Key Biscayne, lost to Gaston Gaudio of Argentina 6-4, 6-1. American Jan-Michael Gambill beat No. 14 Thomas Enqvist 7-5, 6-7 (7), 6-1. Women advancing included No. 1 Martina Hingis, No. 2 Lindsay Davenport, No. 3 Venus Williams, No. 4 Jennifer Capriati and No. 5 Serena Williams. Only Serena Williams struggled, needing a comeback to beat 19-year-old Iroda Tulyaganova 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. On a warm, sunny afternoon before a sellout stadium-court crowd, the lanky Roddick showed uncommon poise from the start. He dominated with a blistering serve that Sampras struggled to put in play. One ace was clocked at 137 mph. The next serve was a 136-mph sizzler at the chest of Sampras, who barely got his racket up in self-defense to deflect the ball. Did Sampras fear Roddick might decapitate him? "Or someone else," Sampras answered with a smile. "He just throws it up and swings as hard as he can." The youngster didn't waver down the stretch, losing only two points on his serve in the second set. His forehand kept Sampras pinned deep, and he whacked six return winners. "He was just swinging away and having fun," said Sampras, 29. "That's always the case when you're first starting out. "He was kind of in a zone there for a while. I give him full credit. He played great and had no fear." When Sampras dumped a backhand into the net on match point, Roddick gleefully pumped his fists and waved his index finger. Then he removed his cap as Sampras approached, a gesture that may have been unintentional but was symbolic. "He's probably the greatest player of all time," Roddick said. In an awkward ceremony following the defeat, Sampras was inducted into the tournament's hall of fame - yet another sign he's past his prime. Although he reached the final at Indian Wells a week ago, he hasn't won a title since Wimbledon last July and is 9-5 this year. Against Roddick, Sampras was unable to rise to the occasion as Agassi did Saturday night when he won another all-American intergenerational showdown, beating 19-year-old Taylor Dent 6-4, 6-2. But Dent didn't play like Roddick, who hit 27 winners and just five unforced errors, including one in the second set. A fluke? U.S. Davis Cup captain Pat McEnroe didn't think so. "He obviously has a game big enough to play with the big boys," McEnroe said. "It really wouldn't shock me to see him playing on the weekend -- from the semis on." Roddick has posted his two biggest wins in back-to-back matches. He beat former No. 1 Marcelo Rios in the second round and faces Andrei Pavel next. "I'm definitely still hungry in this tournament," Roddick said. "I'm ready to battle."
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