2005 NASDAQ-100 Open News
By Alix Ramsay |  March 25 , 2005

As title defenses go, Andy Roddick's was swift, frustrating and ultimately painful. He was forced to pull out of his opening match against Fernando Verdasco after spraining his wrist in the opening set. Consulting with the
ATP trainers, he tried a little treatment and a little taping but finally decided that, rather than risk causing further damage, he had better call it quits while trailing 7-6, 4-3.

Roddick had not been looking forward to taking on the Spanish lefthander. He had faced Verdasco in Indian Wells and almost been upstaged by the young gun. Knowing he had his work cut out, he was struggling to find a way of containing the Spaniard's massive forehand when suddenly, at 5-5, he felt something go in his right wrist.

"I just caught something the wrong way, jammed it a little bit," he said. "It was just two specific movements that were just unlucky. After that, getting over the forehand was a bit of a struggle. I was trying to hit my serve flat but you can only get so far without a second serve. I knew it was uncomfortable right away but when I still felt it seven or eight games later, that's when I started to get worried."

At least Roddick cannot be overtaken in the rankings, not for a day or two at least. He has lost 500 ranking points by failing to defend his title which means he has lost even more ground on Lleyton Hewitt, the world No.2 but until Marat Safin gets a couple of wins under his belt, the Russian cannot move into Roddick's slot at No.3. That, though, comes as little consolation to Roddick.

"I'm just disappointed," he said. "You try to have as positive outlook as you can. They don't think there is anything permanently damaged - that's good - but it's going to take some time. We tried taping it, to give it more support but there is always an element of risk. That's what tennis players are always scared of, when there is a risk you can be out for months."

As his frustrations mounted, so his temper frayed. By the time he had hit three double faults in the tiebreak, he had had enough and smacked a ball out of the stadium and smashed his racket to the ground. It was bad enough to be carrying a slight injury, but trying to play someone of Verdasco's talents without a decent serve was more than he could bear. Verdasco is, in Roddick's considered opinion, hugely underrated and is a man with a big future.

"I think a lot of him," Roddick said. "He hits the ball a ton and if he can learn to play consistently, he will be someone to be reckoned with. You haven't seen the best of him yet."

Justine Henin-Hardenne came through her first match since the US Open unscathed, beating Abigail Spears 6-4, 6-3. She had not been sure what to expect of herself when she arrived in Crandon Park and much as she had happily been playing matches in practice and suffering no ill-effects, she was quick to point out that "practice is practice, real matches are different".

Sure enough, there were untidy moments and she had to come back from a break down in the second set, but she survived. She was through to the third round and an appointment with Nuria Llagostera Vives. It had not been a bad day at all.

"Just the fact that I'm back on the courts, it's great," she said. "That's the only thing that's really important for myself today after seven months that I've been off the court. Just today I had the experience of having these feelings again before the match, during the match, the night before.

"I was pretty nervous but, actually, it's very normal. And even if everything was not perfect - far from that - but I enjoy my tennis and I know I need to be patient, everything will come back with just the competition and playing a lot of matches. So that's very good. I'm very happy."

Venus Williams was pretty happy, too. She got her campaign off to a swift and impressive start, hammering Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 6-0. The taller, older and less successful sister has not won a title in 11 months but, after yesterday's efforts, she thinks the signs are promising.

"I would say that was probably one of my best matches of the year," Williams announced. "I was saying the other day that I'm definitely getting a better rhythm with my whole game, so that's what counts. It's just the little things, the attitude thing.

"I'm definitely leaning on the ball, I have better racquet speed, I'm just better. It's taken me a couple times to get to this point but I'm just building on each event."

By the time Williams was 21 she had won the Miami title three times but, even so, she was not convinced that she was quite as good as everyone said she was. Now, four grand slam titles later, she is still not completely sure where she fits into the general scheme of things.

"When I was younger I was always thinking how I could get better and just I never thought I was that good, I always wanted to be better. Now, looking back, I see I was okay. But still it's the same thing: "I've got to get better, I'm not that good." So I guess I'm my worst critic."

She will get another chance to assess her strengths and failings against Fabiola Zuluaga in the next round. Zuluaga beat Anabel Medina Garrigues
7-5, 6-1.

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