‘You virtually killed me together with your serve,’ Rafael Nadal jokes with Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick hosted Rafael Nadal in his most up-to-date Served with Andy Roddick podcast. Two nice rivals mentioned numerous matters and recalled the encounters from their rivalry. They first met within the 2004 US Open second spherical. 

The 18-year-old rising star challenged the defending champion at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The house star produced a dominant 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 victory in an hour and 36 minutes, sending a youngster packing. Joking about their first duel, Rafa defined that Andy virtually killed him along with his serve. 

The large server imposed his booming preliminary shot, clocking 152 mp/h within the early phases of the duel. Nadal fought effectively in units two and three, main 4-2 within the third however falling in straight units. A few weeks earlier, the Spaniard turned the youngest ATP champion since Lleyton Hewitt in 1998. 

Andy Roddick – Served with Andy Roddick© Stream screenshot

 

He kicked off his US Open marketing campaign with a five-setter victory over the Swiss Ivo Heuberger. Nonetheless, Roddick proved too robust on his beloved courtroom. The 18-year-old served at 82% however drew nothing from his shaky preliminary shot after experiencing elbow points. 

Roddick clinched 55% of the return factors and supplied seven breaks from 11 alternatives. The American performed in opposition to 4 break factors in his solely free service recreation and mounted the stress on the opposite aspect. Rafa stayed beneath 20 winners and sprayed 30 unforced errors. 

The extra skilled participant hit extra direct factors than errors. He additionally stored his composure whereas attacking, producing over 30 pressured errors from the younger gun. They stayed neck and neck within the mid-range and most superior rallies. 

Rafael Nadal, 2004 US Open© Stream screenshot

 

Andy took cost within the shortest ones, incomes his victory in that phase. The American was the one participant on the courtroom within the opener. He landed a forehand down the road winner within the sixth recreation to earn a bagel in 19 minutes!

Nadal fought higher early within the second set. He supplied two high quality holds earlier than spraying a backhand error at 2-2 and dropping a serve at love. The Spaniard served to remain within the set at 3-5 and skilled one other break at love, sending the American two units to like in entrance after 53 minutes!

Andy Roddick, 2004 US Open© Stream screenshot

 

Rafa made his solely push on the return within the first recreation of the third set and seized the fourth break probability with a backhand winner. The younger gun saved a break level within the fourth recreation and solid a 3-1 benefit. Nadal saved two break factors within the sixth recreation and remained in entrance. 

Nonetheless, he sprayed errors within the eighth recreation and skilled a break at 15 that introduced Roddick again to 4-4. Andy held at 30 in recreation 9 and supplied one other break at 15 a couple of minutes later to seal the deal and advance.