Australian Open 2012 live stream

If you count the years Andy Roddick was considered a major second week contender at the Australian Open, they would far outweigh the number of years that he wasn’t.

But the 29-year-old American is realistic enough to know that this year, he is not entering the event as anyone’s flat-out favourite to win his first title. The so-called big three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have combined for 30 Grand Slam titles since Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003, with only Roddick (2003 US Open), Marat Safin (2005 Australian Open) and Juan Martin Del Potro (2009 US Open) as guys who have tipped the apple cart. Throw in No.4 Andy Murray, who reached the final four of every 2011 major, including the Australian final, and it won’t be easy for Roddick, much less any other player, to break through at this year’s edition of the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific.

But that does not mean the American cannot have impact during the tournament and in his 6-3 6-4 6-1 wipeout of Robin Haase he looked as quick as he was early last year before his body broke down, and was powerful and accurate tossing up his serve as he as the last time he reached the final four in Melbourne in 2009.

“Felt good,” Roddick said. "The serve was real good.  I only missed a couple of returns. You know, it felt as clean as it does for a first round in a Slam. “

Last year was one of the tougher of the former No.1’s career. It was the first time Roddick finished a season out of the top 10 since 2002.  After winning the title in Memphis, he spent most of the rest of the year battling injuries, including shoulder and additional ailments. As a result, he gained 10-15 unnecessary pounds. He spent the off-season reworking his training routine, adding more recovery time, but lessening the number of hours he usually spent pounding his body on court, in the gym and on the track.

He felt like he had over-worked.

“I feel like last year, it was the hardest one I've had physically,” he said. “And I think, therefore, mentally. It was tough to start and stop. I felt like I was playing out of shape a lot of the time.  At the [US] Open [where he bested David Ferrer and reached the quarters], I even played well, but I couldn't sustain it physically for long enough. It just caught up to me. So I think my days of playing 26 events a year are probably done. But however many I do play, I want to make sure that I'm ready to rock each time.”

Roddick has not reached the semifinals of a major since he nearly toppled the great Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final, where he eventually fell 16-14 in the fifth set in one of the most memorable finals of the Open Era. At the 2011 Australian Open, Swiss Stan Wawrinka took him down.

He is no longer the brash young guy who out-muscled foes with a big serve and forehand.  He still can smoke aces, but has evolved into a cagey player who can mix and match spins and speeds, chipping and charging and occasionally serve and volleying. He is emphasising movement over power.

“I made a change in '08,” he said. I felt like I was falling behind a little bit. You have to move well.  You don't see a lot of guys that are just shot-makers now. If you go down the top 10 players, they can all move really well. You don't find slow guys at the top of the game.  I'm certainly not fleet-footed. I'm not naturally gifted as far as foot speed. But luckily that's something you can work at. That's something that is largely a matter of putting in time. It's certainly something that I've been conscious of.”

Roddick has a very tough draw until the final eight. He may play his familiar old rival Lleyton Hewitt, in the second round. Should he get past the Australian, he might have to face Canadian bomber Milos Raonic in the third round. Then if he reaches the fourth round, his opponent will likely be defending champion, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, a man he has played tough in the past, but whom has been all but unbeatable on hardcourts during the past year.

After Hewitt survived Cedrik-Marcel Steebe, he and Roddick will meet for the 14th time, with Roddick holding a 7-6 edge in their rivalry. They have played at five Grand Slams, including in the 2005 Australian semis, a four-set victory for Hewitt. Only a couple of their clashed have not been snarling dogfights.

“I think when we play, numbers go out the door as far as the number next to our name as far as ranking,” Roddick said. “I don't pay much attention to it when it comes to Lleyton.  He knows how to win tennis matches. He's a fighter.  I have as much respect for him as I do for anybody in the game, how he goes about his business, how he competes, how professional he is. We always have a bit of a war.  I probably don't see it being any different.  I think there's a lot of mutual respect there.  For sure there is from my end.”

If you count the years Andy Roddick was considered a major second week contender at the Australian Open, they would far outweigh the number of years that he wasn’t.

But the 29-year-old American is realistic enough to know that this year, he is not entering the event as anyone’s flat-out favourite to win his first title. The so-called big three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have combined for 30 Grand Slam titles since Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003, with only Roddick (2003 US Open), Marat Safin (2005 Australian Open) and Juan Martin Del Potro (2009 US Open) as guys who have tipped the apple cart. Throw in No.4 Andy Murray, who reached the final four of every 2011 major, including the Australian final, and it won’t be easy for Roddick, much less any other player, to break through at this year’s edition of the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific.

But that does not mean the American cannot have impact during the tournament and in his 6-3 6-4 6-1 wipeout of Robin Haase he looked as quick as he was early last year before his body broke down, and was powerful and accurate tossing up his serve as he as the last time he reached the final four in Melbourne in 2009.

“Felt good,” Roddick said. "The serve was real good.  I only missed a couple of returns. You know, it felt as clean as it does for a first round in a Slam. “

Last year was one of the tougher of the former No.1’s career. It was the first time Roddick finished a season out of the top 10 since 2002.  After winning the title in Memphis, he spent most of the rest of the year battling injuries, including shoulder and additional ailments. As a result, he gained 10-15 unnecessary pounds. He spent the off-season reworking his training routine, adding more recovery time, but lessening the number of hours he usually spent pounding his body on court, in the gym and on the track.

He felt like he had over-worked.

“I feel like last year, it was the hardest one I've had physically,” he said. “And I think, therefore, mentally. It was tough to start and stop. I felt like I was playing out of shape a lot of the time.  At the [US] Open [where he bested David Ferrer and reached the quarters], I even played well, but I couldn't sustain it physically for long enough. It just caught up to me. So I think my days of playing 26 events a year are probably done. But however many I do play, I want to make sure that I'm ready to rock each time.”

Roddick has not reached the semifinals of a major since he nearly toppled the great Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final, where he eventually fell 16-14 in the fifth set in one of the most memorable finals of the Open Era. At the 2011 Australian Open, Swiss Stan Wawrinka took him down.

He is no longer the brash young guy who out-muscled foes with a big serve and forehand.  He still can smoke aces, but has evolved into a cagey player who can mix and match spins and speeds, chipping and charging and occasionally serve and volleying. He is emphasising movement over power.

“I made a change in '08,” he said. I felt like I was falling behind a little bit. You have to move well.  You don't see a lot of guys that are just shot-makers now. If you go down the top 10 players, they can all move really well. You don't find slow guys at the top of the game.  I'm certainly not fleet-footed. I'm not naturally gifted as far as foot speed. But luckily that's something you can work at. That's something that is largely a matter of putting in time. It's certainly something that I've been conscious of.”

Roddick has a very tough draw until the final eight. He may play his familiar old rival Lleyton Hewitt, in the second round. Should he get past the Australian, he might have to face Canadian bomber Milos Raonic in the third round. Then if he reaches the fourth round, his opponent will likely be defending champion, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, a man he has played tough in the past, but whom has been all but unbeatable on hardcourts during the past year.

After Hewitt survived Cedrik-Marcel Steebe, he and Roddick will meet for the 14th time, with Roddick holding a 7-6 edge in their rivalry. They have played at five Grand Slams, including in the 2005 Australian semis, a four-set victory for Hewitt. Only a couple of their clashed have not been snarling dogfights.

“I think when we play, numbers go out the door as far as the number next to our name as far as ranking,” Roddick said. “I don't pay much attention to it when it comes to Lleyton.  He knows how to win tennis matches. He's a fighter.  I have as much respect for him as I do for anybody in the game, how he goes about his business, how he competes, how professional he is. We always have a bit of a war.  I probably don't see it being any different.  I think there's a lot of mutual respect there.  For sure there is from my end.”

If you count the years Andy Roddick was considered a major second week contender at the Australian Open, they would far outweigh the number of years that he wasn’t.

But the 29-year-old American is realistic enough to know that this year, he is not entering the event as anyone’s flat-out favourite to win his first title. The so-called big three of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have combined for 30 Grand Slam titles since Federer won his first Wimbledon in 2003, with only Roddick (2003 US Open), Marat Safin (2005 Australian Open) and Juan Martin Del Potro (2009 US Open) as guys who have tipped the apple cart. Throw in No.4 Andy Murray, who reached the final four of every 2011 major, including the Australian final, and it won’t be easy for Roddick, much less any other player, to break through at this year’s edition of the Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific.

But that does not mean the American cannot have impact during the tournament and in his 6-3 6-4 6-1 wipeout of Robin Haase he looked as quick as he was early last year before his body broke down, and was powerful and accurate tossing up his serve as he as the last time he reached the final four in Melbourne in 2009.

“Felt good,” Roddick said. "The serve was real good.  I only missed a couple of returns. You know, it felt as clean as it does for a first round in a Slam. “

Last year was one of the tougher of the former No.1’s career. It was the first time Roddick finished a season out of the top 10 since 2002.  After winning the title in Memphis, he spent most of the rest of the year battling injuries, including shoulder and additional ailments. As a result, he gained 10-15 unnecessary pounds. He spent the off-season reworking his training routine, adding more recovery time, but lessening the number of hours he usually spent pounding his body on court, in the gym and on the track.

He felt like he had over-worked.

“I feel like last year, it was the hardest one I've had physically,” he said. “And I think, therefore, mentally. It was tough to start and stop. I felt like I was playing out of shape a lot of the time.  At the [US] Open [where he bested David Ferrer and reached the quarters], I even played well, but I couldn't sustain it physically for long enough. It just caught up to me. So I think my days of playing 26 events a year are probably done. But however many I do play, I want to make sure that I'm ready to rock each time.”

Roddick has not reached the semifinals of a major since he nearly toppled the great Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final, where he eventually fell 16-14 in the fifth set in one of the most memorable finals of the Open Era. At the 2011 Australian Open, Swiss Stan Wawrinka took him down.

He is no longer the brash young guy who out-muscled foes with a big serve and forehand.  He still can smoke aces, but has evolved into a cagey player who can mix and match spins and speeds, chipping and charging and occasionally serve and volleying. He is emphasising movement over power.

“I made a change in '08,” he said. I felt like I was falling behind a little bit. You have to move well.  You don't see a lot of guys that are just shot-makers now. If you go down the top 10 players, they can all move really well. You don't find slow guys at the top of the game.  I'm certainly not fleet-footed. I'm not naturally gifted as far as foot speed. But luckily that's something you can work at. That's something that is largely a matter of putting in time. It's certainly something that I've been conscious of.”

Roddick has a very tough draw until the final eight. He may play his familiar old rival Lleyton Hewitt, in the second round. Should he get past the Australian, he might have to face Canadian bomber Milos Raonic in the third round. Then if he reaches the fourth round, his opponent will likely be defending champion, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, a man he has played tough in the past, but whom has been all but unbeatable on hardcourts during the past year.

After Hewitt survived Cedrik-Marcel Steebe, he and Roddick will meet for the 14th time, with Roddick holding a 7-6 edge in their rivalry. They have played at five Grand Slams, including in the 2005 Australian semis, a four-set victory for Hewitt. Only a couple of their clashed have not been snarling dogfights.

“I think when we play, numbers go out the door as far as the number next to our name as far as ranking,” Roddick said. “I don't pay much attention to it when it comes to Lleyton.  He knows how to win tennis matches. He's a fighter.  I have as much respect for him as I do for anybody in the game, how he goes about his business, how he competes, how professional he is. We always have a bit of a war.  I probably don't see it being any different.  I think there's a lot of mutual respect there.  For sure there is from my end.”