Everyone figured that del Potro might be the end of the road for Roddick. At this point in their careers, del Potro just has too many ways to beat a player like Roddick.
It’s a fascinating loss for two reasons. First, del Potro was the player that beat Safin before he retired. Second, del Potro’s first big upset when he was on his way up was a win over Roddick in the finals of Los Angeles, back in 2008.
Despite this, Roddick started off aggressive in a match that started last night. He had an early break, but was unable to maintain that break as del Potro came back. The two went into tiebreak. Roddick won the opening point when it began to rain. Then, the match was delayed until today.
It also rained today causing some delays, but the match resumed. Roddick was able to start well and take the first set in a tiebreak. The match was close enough in the second set to go to a tiebreak as well, but when del Potro won the tiebreak, the air seemed to deflate from the Roddick tires. del Potro then took the third set 62, then got an early break in the fourth, and nearly had a second break before Roddick saved serve. del Potro then comfortably served out the match.
Roddick said his farewell to the crowd, reminiscing about visiting the US Open, dreaming he’d play there, and happy to retire at this majestic event. He hoped to return sometime in the future to see everyone once again.
And with that, Andy Roddick retired, shortly after he turned 30 and has said he would focus efforts on his foundation.
In the meanwhile, another Andy was struggling in his match. Andy Murray had a 6-1 head-to-head over Marin Cilic, but Cilic had his one win back in 2009 when a lethargic Murray lost quite easily. Murray looked a bit off, yelling at himself, as Cilic dictated play. This lasted for the better part of two sets with 6-3, 5-1 lead by the Croat. But Murray kept hanging in there in the humid day, and got one break back, and then another, as Cilic started missing more and more, with his first serve percentage down.
Murray nearly broke again, but Cilic held to get to a tiebreak. Cilic got up early in the tiebreak, but then Murray ran off a bunch of points and took the second set. From that point on, Cilic kept it close early in the third set, before Murray began to pull away again with two breaks in the third set and took that 6-2. Murray continued to pour it on, as Cilic could not dominate points like he did early on, and took the fourth set at love.
Novak Djokovic completed his match as well, when he took the first set over the Swiss number 2, Stan Wawrinka, 64, then the second 61. Up 31, Wawrinka retired.
Tipsarevic also completed his match, winning 63 76 62, over the German, Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Federer lost the first set to Tomas Berdych, despite being up a break in the first early on. Berdych broke back, then headed to a tiebreak which he dominated. Berdych is now an early break up on Federer in the second set.