Roddick ready for regrets

2008-08-06 07:45

Los Angeles - Olympic absentee Andy Roddick confessed on Tuesday that he will surely have second thoughts about his decision to skip the Summer Games when the action begins this weekend in Beijing.

"I'm sure when I'm watching the (Friday) opening ceremony on television, I'll miss it," said the top seed at the ATP Los Angeles Classic.

"Of course a part of me will want to be there."

American Roddick decided weeks ago to skip the Olympics in favour of devoting his hard-court summer to preparing for the August 25 start of the US Open, which follows immediately.

Fifth-seeded Russian Marat Safin, who advanced over American John Isner 6-3 6-4 had opposite sentiments about missing the global sporting event.

"I don't care about the Olympics," said the 28-year-old who attended both Sydney and Athens, winning just one match on aggregate. "It doesn't make sense to fly 15 hours over and 15 hours back for one event."

'Rough decision'

Roddick's summer campaign has so far been a flop, with a second-round loss in Toronto and a no-show on court in Cincinnati, where he pilled out last week with a stiff neck.

"It was a rough decision not to go," he said of his Olympic choice. "But whichever way I chose I would be wrong. Still, my injury may be a blessing in disguise.

"I have two weeks (LA plus Washington) to get my game ready. If I'd played Beijing there would have only been one."

The American who said he absorbed his Olympic experience four years ago on Athens by attending other events and meeting fellow competitors, added that he is feeling good about his chance in LA despite only practising for two days.

He begins play on Thursday night after a bye when he takes on Serb Dusan Vemic, a winner over American Sam Warburg 3-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-4.

In other first-round results, Wayne Odesnik beat American compatriot Bobby Reynolds 4-6 6-1 6-4 while Florida's Vince Spadea put out French veteran Sebastien Grosjean 6-3 3-6 6-3.

Roddick said that his neck - treated at the event by both his personal physio Doug Spreen plus a doctor he flew up from Texas - feels good enough to allow him to try and again kick-start his pre-grand slam campaign.

"Last week was a fluke, I couldn't move my neck for four of five days. I've come a long way ever since Sunday. This summer has been frustrating. It's been a hard three or four months (after a shoulder injury in Rome)."

Roddick admitted that had the Olympics not meant a long trip to China and back, his decision might have been different.

"It's not a short trip and there is the question of logistics over there. Plus we have to play two huge events back-to-back, that's a factor."

- AFP