C15F55DB-A218-45F3-ACD8-A33DE91AEB75
By Richard Pagliaro
© Fred Mullane/Camerawork USA
(June 23, 2010) Andy Roddick rolled through Rajeev Ram in his first-round match and relied on his resourcefulness to rally past a dangerous Michael Llodra today.
The three-time Wimbledon runner-up withstood a tight test from Llodra to reach the third round with today's 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6(2) triumph over the Eastbourne champion.
"He's a very dangerous opponent," Roddick said. "After watchimg him win a title last week it definitely got my attention when the draw came out. He played pretty flawless for the better part of four sets. I kind of hung around and played a pretty good breaker and I'm happy to get through it."
Roddick returned to the Centre Court stage he last occupied in suffering a gut-wrenching 16-14 fifth-set loss to Roger Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final and found himself down a set and facing break point in the first game of the second against a locked-in Llodra.
That's when Roddick raced near the alley for a full-stretch stab shot that may well have saved his Wimbledon hopes.
Running out of court space as he raced to his right, Roddick leaned low and and flicked a full-stretch stab forehand squash shot that floated over the head of the 6'3" lanky Llodra and settled into the corner. Roddick worked his way to net and found the open court to erase the break point and ignite his run.
Roddick said afterward he had to produce some of his best tennis to avoid the danger zone.
"He played an almost perfect first set," Roddick said. "Coming off of a win last week, I mean, he certainly was very confident. I mean, it took some of my best stuff today to get through that. I thought I played really well. I think I had to."
Llodra, who reaped the benefits of working with 2006 Ladies' champion Amelie Mauresmo as his coaching consultant throughout the grass-court season, repeatedly victimized Roddick with his left-handed slice serve on the ad side for the first two sets.
Roddick began to move to his left in anticipating that serve. He converted his lone break point in the second set and two more in the third to take a two set to one lead.
"I have chances in the beginning of the second set with two breakpoints. It's not easy, but, you know, I think I can break him," Llodra said. "After it change all — not all the match, but his confidence was totally down after losing the first set. And beginning of the first set, the first game two breakpoints. So it's tough, because I think I made it, you know, after it change a lot.
After I have couple also breakpoints in the beginning of the third, and finally he break me. After, it was tough for me to come back."
The Roddick forehand was the key stroke in the tie breaker.
The fifth-seeded Roddick hooked a foreand pass up the line to earn four match points. Racing forward to greet a Llodra half volley, Roddick hit a forehand winner to end it then celebrated by unleashing a left-footed soccer kick that made him resemble a flamingo suffering from a strained hamstring.
Completing a successful return to Centre court, Roddick was rewarded with a third-round match against either Philipp Kohlschreiber or Teimuraz Gabashvili and a rousing reception from the fans.
"It's real nice. I mean, it really is," Roddick said. "Certainly I feel whether it's right or wrong, that they kind of maybe appreciate the body of work that I've put together at this tournament. It's always gratifying. It's humbling, as well. I mean, you know, you never feel like you're entitled to anything. For people, you know, they can choose whether or not to support you or not. The fact that they kind of were vocal about it and have been since I've been back over here, it's a nice thing."