 |  | | Full Name: | Andrew Stephen Roddick | | | Birthday: | 8/30/1982 | | | Sign: | Virgo | | | Eye Color: | Brown Height: 6' 2 " | | | Hometown: | Roddick was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Austin, Texas and Boca Raton, Florida. | | | | | Relationship Status: | Roddick’s former girlfriend is pop singer Mandy Moore. Since the breakup, which is apparently far from final, he has been seen with Paris Hilton. Tabloid papers report that his new girlfriend is Russian tennis sensation Maria Sharapova, who denies that the two are anything more than good friends and fellow athletes. | | | Big Break: | Roddick had a big year in 2003. The fifth set of his incredible 21-19 victory over Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui was the longest fifth set in a Grand Slam tournament. Later that year, Roddick won the Queen’s Club and made the Wimbledon semifinals. His crowning moment of glory was his victory that year in the U.S. Open. | | | Best Known For: | Roddick is the #1 ranked American tennis player, and has been ranked as the top player in the world (in November 2003). He is currently ranked fifth. Roddick is known for his powerful serves: he holds the record for fastest serve in professional tennis – 155 mph. | | | Cool Facts: | Roddick has been criticized for his hot temper on and off the tennis court, but he has also received praise from sportswriters and broadcasters for his honesty in asking that some critical calls in his favor be overturned.
Roddick became the first male tennis star to host “Saturday Night Live” in 2003.
Andy hit 102 aces at the U.S. Open.
Andy enjoys water skiing and skydiving.
| | | Quick Bio: | Roddick is the son of Jerry and Blanche Roddick. He has two older brothers, one of whom (John) briefly became his tennis coach after his falling out earlier this year with longtime coach Dean Goldfine. Andy’s other brother, Lawrence, is a chiropractor based in San Antonio, Texas. Roddick turned professional at age 18 in the year 2000. In 2003, at age 21, he became the first American to end the year ranked #1 since Andre Agassi in 1999. In 2006, Roddick signed on with a new coach, tennis great Jimmy Connors, who worked with Roddick on improving his return game. For the first time since 2003, Roddick made it to the U.S. Open finals, where he lost to Swiss ace Roger Federer, the returning champion. Federer had also beat Roddick at Wimbledon in 2004 and 2005. Roddick has made more than $11 million in prize money during his career, and has a healthy income stream from endorsements and appearance fees for such companies as Reebok and Lacoste. Roddick has also been very active in charity fundraising. He started The Andy Roddick Foundation in 2001 to support efforts to care for abused and at-risk children. Roddick says he was inspired to create this non-profit organization by the passion of his mentor and fellow tennis star Andre Agassi for this cause. Roddick’s mother, Blanche Roddick, currently directs the foundation. Elton John and Lionel Richie are among the artists who have performed benefit concerts for the foundation. Roddick led an impressive effort to help victims of the 2004 tsunami disaster. For his charity work, Roddick received the Arthur Ashe Humaniarian Award in 2005. | | | Other Notes: | Want to have some fun with Andy Roddick? Check out his word search puzzle! | | | |
