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Roddick can't repeat Injury fells American in third-round match against Hewitt
Updated: Saturday June 02, 2001 10:01 AM
PARIS (AP) -- Once again, Andy Roddick limped off center court at Roland Garros, this time in tears because he couldn't finish the match. The 18-year-old American's brief but dramatic debut run in the French Open ended after he took a nasty tumble in the third set Friday against Lleyton Hewitt. Roddick tried to continue but played only four more points before retiring because of a strained left thigh. Hewitt led 6-7 (6), 6-4, 2-2, 40-15 when Roddick called it quits, tossing his racket aside in disappointment. "It took me awhile to regain my composure after the match," Roddick said. "You don't want to go out like that. I wanted to make someone play well to beat me." The young Floridian won the favor of French fans by overcoming cramps and hobbling past Michael Chang in a five-set thriller Wednesday. The third-round match against Hewitt was shaping up as another tense endurance test until Roddick fell chasing down a shot. Tests indicated the injury was just a strain. Roddick said he expects to be sidelined only a few days before beginning preparations for his debut later this month at Wimbledon, where his huge serve makes him a formidable threat. One American did advance in the top half of the men's draw: Detroit native Michael Russell, a 23-year-old qualifier ranked 122nd. Russell outlasted Xavier Malisse 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 and will next face Gustavo Kuerten, the top-seeded two-time champion. "Who's he? What's his name?" Russell joked, before admitting: "I'm going to be nervous." Kuerten eliminated Karim Alami 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-2. No. 4 Juan Carlos Ferrero and No. 7 Yevgeny Kafelnikov also won, but No. 11 Tim Henman lost to Guillermo Canas. The biggest upset came on the women's side, where No. 15 Jelena Dokic lost 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Hungary's Petra Mandula, a qualifier ranked 131st. "I couldn't keep a rally going, which isn't like me," Dokic said. "The way she plays, it usually suits me. She doesn't do very much. Everything she won was my mistakes." Advancing were two Belgian teenagers, No. 12 Kim Clijsters and No. 14 Justine Henin, the only seeded players left in their half of the draw. Roddick's taxing win over Chang took a toll that likely contributed to his injury. He said his legs remained sore Friday, and his left hamstring began to tighten in the second set. After hitting a running forehand in the third set, Roddick came down awkwardly on his right ankle, stumbled and landed hard on his right hip. He rolled onto a tarpaulin near the backstop and remained curled on his side for almost a minute. Grimacing, he sat up before a trainer finally reached him. After receiving treatment for several minutes, Roddick slowly limped to his chair, covered with clay. He had his left thigh wrapped, then returned to the court and won the next point with a booming forehand. "I wanted to hit one more winner at Roland Garros," he joked. But there would be no repeat of his gallant finish against Chang. With the injury hindering his serve and movement, Roddick double-faulted, hit two futile forehands and walked to the net to concede his first defeat on clay after 12 consecutive wins. The players shook hands and the sixth-seeded Hewitt raised his arms in triumph, drawing jeers from fans who apparently found his celebration excessive under the circumstances. The Australian said he didn't hear any boos. "Nobody likes to win like this," he said. "We were having a great match." Aside from the white caps both players wore backward, the pairing offered a contrast in style between youngsters touted as future Grand Slam champions: Roddick the big-swinging aggressor, Hewitt the fleet-footed retriever. Against Chang, Roddick slammed 37 aces, the most at Roland Garros in at least a decade. Against Hewitt he hit none, an astounding testament to the Aussie's quickness. "Returning is one of the better parts of my game,' said Hewitt, 20. "He serves big, but I felt I was in most of his service games." But Roddick repeatedly summoned big serves when needed, overcoming seven set points in the opening set, six when serving. Hewitt was 0-for-10 on break points before finally converting one for a 3-2 lead in the second set. Roddick broke right back with a forehand winner to end a 22-shot exchange. "We were battling," Roddick said. "It was good tennis. I wish we could have finished it." Hewitt sensed a rivalry in the making. "We're going to have a lot of great matches, I'm sure," Hewitt said. "He's got a great game. He's going to be good on every surface." For now, Hewitt continues on clay. For Roddick, the grass of Wimbledon awaits.
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