OurBiography

American Andy Roddick is a former top-ranked professional tennis player who won the 2003 U.S. Open men’s singles title.

Synopsis

Andy Roddick was born on August 30, 1982, in Omaha, Nebraska. At age 18, he was named the top-ranked junior tennis player in the world and he turned pro. In 2003,

Roddick triumphed at the U.S. Open to win his only Grand Slam title, though he reached the finals of a major four other times. Married to model and actress Brooklyn

Decker, he retired from tennis in 2012.

Early Tennis Career

Andrew Stephen Roddick was born on August 30, 1982, in Omaha, Nebraska. As a junior competitor, he won six world singles and seven doubles titles. In 2000, he was named the top-ranked junior player in the United States and the world, and turned pro that same year.

Roddick had a successful early professional career, winning three tournaments, including the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, D.C., in 2001. That same year, he made his first appearance as a member of the Davis Cup team. 

In 2003, at age 21, Roddick had a career breakthrough: He won his first Grand Slam title with a victory against Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero at the U.S. Open. Later that year, he took over the No. 1 ranking in the world, becoming one of the few American players to hold both a Grand Slam title and the No. 1 ranking in the same year. He was named the ATP Player of the Year for 2003.

Later Career

In 2007, Roddick won two singles tournaments: The Legg Mason Tennis Classic (for the third time) and the Artois Championships (for the fourth time). That same year, he established a record by claiming his 18th consecutive tiebreak victory. By the end of 2007, Roddick—coached by tennis legend Jimmy Connors—was ranked fifth by the ATP.

In 2008, Roddick hired a new coach, Larry Stefanki, who had trained such star players as John McEnroe. He made it to the final at Wimbledon in 2009, his fourth Grand Slam final since the 2003 U.S. Open, but lost to rival Roger Federer. He would lose to Federer at Wimbledon again in 2010. 

Roddick had suffered a knee injury in 2009, which set him back in training, and endured a serious shoulder surgery following his Wimbledon loss in 2010. Later that year, he announced that he had mononucleosis, a viral infection that includes symptoms similar to that of the flu. Around the same time, he experienced a groin and separate shoulder injury.

In August 2012, the 30-year-old announced plans to retire from tennis. Just days after the announcement, he played in his last tournament, the 2012 U.S. Open, losing in the fourth round to Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro. Following the tournament, Roddick made an announcement to fans: "For the first time in my career I'm not sure what to say," he said. "I loved every minute of it. A lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of great moments. I've appreciated your support along the way."

Off the Court

Off the court, Roddick has become quite the celebrity over the years. People magazine named him its "Sexiest Athlete" in 2003. That same year, he gained fame by hosting Saturday Night Live. Over the past decade, he has appeared on several magazine covers, from Rolling Stone to Men's Fitness.

In 2001, Roddick established the Andy Roddick Foundation, which aims to support at-risk and underprivileged children. His philanthropy earned him the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award in 2005 and 2007.

Personal Life

Roddick and American model and actress Brooklyn Decker began dating in 2007, and they wed in 2009. They currently live in Austin, Texas.