Roddick OK with rowdy fans

2008-09-01 07:37

New York - Andy Roddick is all for raucous, rowdy tennis fans.

Just as long as they're quiet while a point is being played.

The issue arose at the US Open where, as it is, spectators traditionally are louder than at Wimbledon or the French Open - because the chair umpire warned a group of fans for being disruptive during James Blake's loss to Mardy Fish.

"It's sports. You're supposed to go after someone. There's supposed to be tense moments. You're supposed to yell," the eighth-seeded Roddick said on Sunday after beating No. 31 Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2 7-5 7-6 (4) to reach the fourth round. "All of a sudden, if there's a net and rackets involved, you can't do that?"

Like other Americans at the American Grand Slam, Roddick generally receives strong support at Flushing Meadows, and he's been known to play to the crowds - even high-fiving a fan after a point.

But he acknowledges there are limits.

"If someone tosses a ball up and you yell, then I think that's a direct distraction. If it's between points, yeah, they can do whatever they want," he said. "I think as long as you're respectful of the rules of the game, have a ball."

Framework

Why is it important that there's silence during play?

"We use all of our senses. ... We're trying to see a ball moving at 100-and-whatever miles an hour," the 2003 US Open champion said. "As long as it's in the framework of being respectful, then I'm all for it. You can do a handstand if you want."

Roddick, of course, has been known to make a racket, too.

Well, break a racket.

He smashed one during his second-round victory over Ernests Gulbis of Latvia on Friday, completely mangling it.

As he put it: "If I complain about anybody carrying on during a match, I'd be bordering on hypocrisy."

And Roddick sees no reason for tennis to have a code of conduct saying players should be warned - and, eventually, penalized - for racket abuse.

Top tennis player

"If a guy wants to break a bat in the dugout, he doesn't get warned. It's not hurting anyone," he said. "If it's affecting your opponent, then that's probably disrespectful, then keep it out of there. But it's my racket, not anybody else's."

To many, being the top tennis player in their country's history would be quite a thrill. To Gilles Muller, there's a qualifier.

"I mean, that's not my goal, to be the best in Luxembourg," he said.

Muller became the first man or woman from his nation to reach the fourth round at a Grand Slam, rallying past No. 18 Nicolas Almagro of Spain 6-7 (3), 3-6 7-6 (5), 7-6 (6), 7-5 at the US Open on Sunday. In his previous match, he rallied from two sets down for the first time in his career and beat Tommy Haas of Germany 2-6 2-6 7-6 (5), 6-3 6-3.

The win over Haas made Muller the first man from Luxembourg to get into the third round at a Slam. He was first to reach the second round, too. Then again, he's the only man from his country to play in a major event.

"I'm the first one actually to do everything," he said.

Everything is confidence

The 25-year-old Muller seemed to be on the verge of a breakthrough in 2005 when he beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon and Andy Roddick at the US Open.

"I had a tough time after that. ... I was dropping in the rankings," he said. "I guess everything is in the head. Everything is confidence. I guess I lost a lot of it."

The junior US Open champion in 2001, Muller came into this event ranked No. 130 and has never won a tournament as a pro. He won three matches in US Open qualifying after travelling from a challenger in Turkey.

Next up for Muller is No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko in the round of 16.

Sybille Bammer waited a long time for this win.

Sure, her victory at the US Open on Sunday put Bammer into the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam for the first time. But her 7-6 (3), 0-6 6-4 win over No. 12 Marion Bartoli was notable for another reason - at 3 hours, 5 minutes, it was believed to be the longest women's match, by time, in the tournament's history.

"I didn't even really sweat," the Austrian winner said. "I could have played longer."

Bammer actually didn't spend a tremendous amount of time running around. Instead, the match was often delayed because of Bartoli's ailments as the Frenchwoman frequently held her stomach and back.

Justine Henin and Jennifer Capriati were believed to hold the old Open women's mark of 3:03. Henin won 4-6 7-5 7-6 (4) in the 2003 semi-finals at Flushing Meadows.

- AP