Roddick ready and raring to go

By Nirmal Shekar

WINSTON-SALEM, OCT. 10. In American tennis, boys become men sooner than you can say Andy Roddick.

And, for a 19-year old who is expected to take on the starring role in the United States' Davis Cup World Group qualifying round tie against India here from October 12 to 14, the initiation process has been remarkably quick.

Andy Roddick, A. Rod for short, is no longer the `New Kid on the Block'. He is now the big man on the big stage widely expected to rise to the occasion in a sea of red, white and blue amidst unprecedented patriotic fervour at the Joel Coliseum.

Watching Roddick practice was a revelation. There is an intensity to the young man that marks him out as a champion in the making, the sort of one-pointed focus that eludes most teenagers - not the least ones getting ready to play their first live Davis Cup rubber in unusual circumstances.

But then, champions revel in abnormal situations and Roddick, at age 19, has displayed all the qualities of a player who'd go on to leave his name in prominent print in the record books.

Unfazed by all the attention during a remarkable year in which he became the youngest U.S .Open quarterfinalist since Andre Agassi in 1988, Roddick has carried the burden of Davis Cup expectations here this week with commendable poise.

``It's a great stepping stone for me. It has been a dream of mine since I was little. The crowd is really going to be passionate and so are the players. I don't think about whether I am No. 1 or No. 2 on the team. We are a team and we are going to have to do this as a team,'' said Roddick.

Well before he turned 19 in August, Roddick made his Davis Cup debut in a meaningless fifth rubber in the United States' 2-3 loss to Switzerland in the first round, beating George Bastl 6-3, 6-4.

But out here this weekend, the stakes are higher and so are the expectations. Roddick knows this and he is ready for the job on hand. ``For sure, I am playing for something now,''said Roddick. ``In Switzerland, I was just kind of playing to finish the tie. It was a big deal for me then but this is different.''

Asked if the pressure would get to him, Roddick said, ``No, not really. I have had loads of pressure on me this whole year and I thrive on that. I like having something on the table and some hype around it. Hopefully I would be able to bring it off this weekend.''

As for the spotlight, Roddick is not at all uncomfortable in the glare. ``I get up for it. It pumps me up. The times I have played badly this year I have been in front of weak crowds and in back courts. It kinda gets inside me when the crowd's into it and when there is something on the line,'' said Roddick.

If anything, the postponement of the tie from its original September dates has made Roddick look forward to the occasion even more keenly.

``I've been thinking about this every day since I was named. It's been such a long time waiting. I am looking forward to it. I am definitely excited and I am going to go out and try to play my best,'' said the gifted teenager.

In the face of such a remarkable bundle of confidence and skills, the Indian team does have a job on its hands. But, as Ramesh Krishnan, India's non playing captain, said today, ``The World Group playoff ties are very, very tough. There are no easy opponents in this round. Last year we played Sweden away and this is equally tough now.''

Ramesh has not made up his mind on the second singles player but it seems likely that he would play Leander Paes and Harsh Mankad in singles with Mahesh Bhupathi playing only in the doubles rubber which, Ramesh says, ``is our best chance to win a point.''

Admitting that ``history is against us'', Ramesh said that it made little difference to him, or his team, whether Patrick McEnroe, the U.S. non playing captain, decided to play the experienced Todd Martin or the newcomer James Blake in the second singles.

``They are equally tough and we have to work hard to win even a set,'' said Ramesh. ``The delay has affected us a bit as Leander has not played any competitive tennis in a several weeks,'' he said.

The draw ceremony will be held at 12 noon (9.30 p.m. IST) on Thursday and the stadium is expected to be full on all three days. The matches begin at 2 p.m. (11.30 p.m. IST) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Security at the stadium is as tight as it can be and not even the players are spared when it comes to thorough frisking.

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