Roddick Sets Sights on Fourth Crown

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The Artois Championships and the start of the grass court season has always been a special part of the season for Andy Roddick, who returns to The Queen’s Club this year looking for his fourth title here in five years.

The American, seeded No. 2 this year, is keen to recapture the title he dominated between 2003-05 before losing to friend and countryman James Blake in the semifinals 12 months ago. And, having said goodbye to the clay for another season, the former World No. 1 is delighted to be back on familiar ground.

“It’s great to be here again,” said Roddick, who takes on Radek Stepanek in his opening match. “I couldn’t wait to get to London from Paris. It’s always a nice transition for me, coming from the clay to the grass, and it’s easy coming back to a place where you have fond memories.”

The 24-year-old Roddick made his debut at The Queen’s Club in 2001, losing to Mikhail Youzhny. He then went on an 18-match unbeaten run, defeating Sebastien Grosjean in consecutive finals in 2003-04 and out-gunned Ivo Karlovic in 2005. Having also reached two Wimbledon finals in that period, the American has put together a 48-10 mark throughout his career on grass, and with Jimmy Connors now in his corner, he is looking to improve on an already impressive record.

“I feel like I’m in pretty good form and I’m having a blast on the grass, so it should be good,” said Roddick, who defeated Stepanek in the 2005 semifinals at The Queen’s Club. “It’s going to be a tough match [against Stepanek], he’s been in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and is pretty adept on grass.”

The former US Open champion is also a fan of Hawk-Eye, which will be used at The Artois Championships for the first time this year. “I like Hawk-Eye a lot,” said Roddick. “I think that the fans enjoy it and it translates well to TV, so it’s a nice addition here.”

Roddick prepared for his week at The Artois Championships by appearing on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, and the American seemed to have survived the experience. “We won’t talk about all the things that went on,” joked Roddick. “It was a good time, but he can sit in his own chair next time though.”

Click here to listen to the full interview.

See Also: Roddick Stars on Jonathan Ross Show