ATP MASTER SERIES MADRID
Date: 2006-10-17

ATP MASTER SERIES MADRID

October 17, 2006

Andy Roddick
MADRID, SPAIN
Question What makes you so easy to beat Sebastien eight out of nine now?
Answer No. I think unfortunately for Sebastien I've played well when I've played him. I've played him a lot on grass which is one of my favorite surfaces. I've only played him on clay once, and he beat me there.
I've played him in the states on the hard courts a couple of times. I think that record is a little deceiving.

Question Andy, some players say it's hard to control the ball in these conditions here, but you did a pretty good job of it, didn't you?
Answer It's definitely tough. What are we looking at, about 2000 feet of altitude or something, you know. Coming from Vienna, it was just tough where the balls were huge. To here where the ball carries an extra probably two or three feet on every shot. It's definitely an adjustment.

Question What sort of adjustment do you make? Do you have to throttle back, or do you decide to just go for it?
Answer I think the biggest thing was I went up in tension on my rackets to make it tighter so the ball doesn't fly off as much. Four or five pounds different on my tension. So that was probably the only major adjustment. It fits in better for my game anyways.

Question Through the second set you looked a bit worried with your left leg. Is it a problem?
Answer Yeah. My knee is hurting a little bit. It's tendonitis. It's nothing serious. I've had it for years and years. But sometimes towards the end of the year when you've been playing a long schedule, and especially playing on the surfaces that they build just on top of something else, you have your good days and your bad days. I don't know, today it was great.

Question When you spoke to Jimmy Connors at the end of the U.S. Open, he told us he didn't know if he would come to Europe. What made him decide to come with you and how many tournaments will he follow you?
Answer I'm not sure. I didn't expect him to come either. To be honest, he called and wanted to come. I was with him before I came over here for a week just training. He decided he wanted to come over. So, I don't know, you're going to have to ask him.

Question Will you stay for Paris?
Answer I'm not sure yet. We don't have a plan yet. Thanks.

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