Drenched in sweat and arm aching from his powerful forehand blows, Andy Roddick refused to give in and except defeat.
Second round of the French Open?
No, this was a Roddick pre-match ping-pong game at one of the Challenger events on the tour.
"It was crazy," said one of Roddick's best friends, Mike Bryan. "It was minutes before he was supposed to go on the court and he just wouldn't give in. His coach kept telling him he had to stop, but he wouldn't let up. He is just so intense and competitive. He has to win at everything he does."
Roddick has the ultimate ying-yang personality. He is a brutal competitor when faced against an opponent and fires up the crowd with his fierce intensity. But, when away from competition, Roddick is a laid-back crackup who is always quick with a joke.
Either way he entertains those in attendance.
Two weeks ago while visiting the Bryans childhood home in Camarillo for a barbeque, Roddick was seen singing along to Vanilla Ice's hit "Ice, Ice, Baby."
"He said he wants to perform it at one of the tournament events," said Bryan.
According to Bryan, Roddick also knows every word to the movie "American Pie" and frequently asks to view it at the hotels on the road.
Some may think that this relaxed attitude would cause Roddick to lose an edge on the court. After all, society constantly instills into us that when we are on the job we must focus solely on the task at hand. Seeing a player laughing prior to a game or handling a paddle instead of a raquet is a sure sign that he is not ready to play.
Not true in Roddick's case, says Bryan.
"It doesn't affect him in any way I can see. In fact, I think it may even help him out there. He takes his job very seriously"
Roddick, only 18, has enough pressure on him in being dubbed the "next great American tennis star." He deserves to have a little fun and relax, and, if you look at his results, it doesn't seem to be affecting his game.
