Roddick Returns

Andy Roddick is back in his first tournament since losing Wimbledon in a heart-breaking five set final against Roger Federer, a leading contender for the title of best tennis player ever. Roddick is playing this week (Aug. 3-9) in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C., part of the Olympus U.S. Open Series of tournaments leading up to the U.S. Open in New York City at the end of the month.

Top-ranked Federer has been taking time off after winning the Wimbledon title and celebrating the birth of twins, and Spanish tennis phenom Rafeal Nadal, who sat out Wimbledon with injured knees, has not returned to the tour yet. With the two top-ranked players not competing, and with his game looking better than it has in years, Roddick could take control of the U.S. Open Series and gather momentum heading into the U.S. Open.

Roddick, who has a bye in the first round of the Legg Mason Classic, will likely meet fellow American Robby Ginepri in the second round. Sam Querrey, another young American player who has recently taken his game up a notch, impressing tennis fans with great play in a second round loss at Wimbledon and winning the L.A. Tennis Open last week, would meet Roddick in the third round.

Roddick is currently ranked 5^th in men’s singles tennis according to the ATP. He’s the only U.S. tennis player in the top ten, and along with Mardy Fish, who is currently ranked 20^th, one of only two American men in the top 20 of the ATP rankings. After his win in L.A., Sam Querrey has moved up to 26^th in the ATP rankings.

(Photo: Getty Images)

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