Watch Andy Roddick say goodbye in emotional retirement speech

September 06, 2012|by Houston Mitchell and Diane Pucin

<p><a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/tennis/andy-roddick-PESPT000008638.topic">Andy Roddick</a>, a sure Hall of Famer who won his only major title at the U.S. Open in 2003, announced last week that he would be retiring after this year's U.S. Open. And, after losing to Juan Martin del Potro on Wednesday, Roddick did indeed retire.</p><p>But first, he said goodbye to his fans in an emotional farewell on court after his loss.</p><p>"For the first time in my career, I'm not sure what to say," Roddick said. "Where do I start? Since I was a kid, I've been coming to this tournament. I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are sitting today, to watch this game and to see the champions who have come and gone and I've loved every minute of it.</p></div></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-ctr-lt-in-top" class="mod-latarticlesadcpc mod-adcpc with-fourth-cpc"><script type="text/javascript"> var adSkipCounter = 0; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "andy roddick retirement speech kate middleton";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,9744208858,8321278795,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text"; google_image_size="300x250"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="2"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "medium_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=33655351&cat=sports&pe_id=33655351&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=9744208858&rnccn=CMI-A-028&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=ctr-lt-in-top", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para" class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"><p>"It has been a road with a lot of ups, a lot of downs and a lot of great moments. I've appreciated your support along the way. I know I certainly haven't made it easy for you at times, but I really do appreciate it and love you guys with all my heart. Hopefully I will come back to this place some day and I will see all of you again."</p><p>Cheered on by his parents, Blanche and Jerry; his wife, the model and actress <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/brooklyn-decker-PECLB00011122.topic">Brooklyn Decker</a>;  his coach, Larry Stefanki; and nearly every person in the crowd that grew louder as the day became sunnier, Roddick finished out a career in which he had ranked somewhere in the top 20 since 2001, a consistency that he said made him proud. He also finished his tennis career with 32 career titles including the U.S. Open. He was runner-up in four other major tournaments, including three times at Wimbledon.<p>Even <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/human-interest/pippa-middleton-PECLB0000013298.topic">Pippa Middleton</a> -- sister of  <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/human-interest/imperial-royal-matters/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-PECLB000000759.topic">Kate Middleton</a>, the duchess of Cambridge -- abandoned the quarterfinal between third-seeded Brit <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/tennis/andy-murray-PESPT000009063.topic">Andy Murray</a> and 12th-seeded Croat <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/tennis/marin-cilic-PESPT000009095.topic">Marin Cilic</a> that was being played at <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/entertainment/music/louis-armstrong-PECLB000226.topic">Louis Armstrong</a> Stadium. Middleton took a seat next to Roddick's mother midmatch and began cheering enthusiastically for the American.</p><p>Roddick had said he now plans to work hard on a tennis-education foundation in Austin, Texas, and also to tinker with his golf game.</p><p><p class="body"><strong>ALSO:</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-0906-angels-athletics-20120906,0,6781096.story">Angels roll to 7-1 victory over Athletics</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-us-open-tennis-roddick-retires-20120905,0,6312108.story">Andy Roddick loses at U.S. Open, retires</a></p><p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/football/la-sp-0906-ucla-nebraska-20120906,0,2997284.story">UCLA set football program in motion with upset win over Nebraska in 1972</a></p></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-first-para-ad-cpc" class="mod-adcpc"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "andy roddick retirement speech kate middleton";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,9744208858,9488961041,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text"; google_image_size="600x125"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="2"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "wide_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=33655351&cat=sports&pe_id=33655351&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=9744208858&rnccn=CMI-A-028&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=a-body-after-first-para-ad-cpc", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-a-body-after-second-para" class="mod-latarticlesarticletextwithadcpc mod-latarticlesarticletext mod-articletext"></div><div id="mod-sm-badge-bottom" class="mod-latarticlessocialmedia mod-socialmedia"><div id="mod-sm-badge-bottom-defer"><script type="text/javascript">/* Javascript deferred */</script></div><div id="fb-root"></div><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style" id="mod-sm-badge-bottom-defer_addthis" style="display:none;"><script type="text/javascript">var addthis_options = "digg, twitter, facebook, stumbleupon, delicious, friendfeed, buzz, slashdot, reddit, mixx, fark, linkedin, aim, google, myspace, newsvine, technorati, tumblr, typepad, wordpress, more";var addthis_exclude = "print";var addthis_pub = "archivedigger";</script><a class="pmPrint" title="Print" href="/print/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906"><span class="pmPrintIcon"></span></a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js"></script></div></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.gigya.com/js/socialize.js?apiKey=2_COh26GgfZDptreu0iQ9aknzT_Ig861qYxOHZVxizrZMTn81vygTB-ptN33wgCtrj"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> function fixDoubleButtons() { if (jQuery('#mod-sm-badge-top .st_pm_button .stButton').size() == 0) { setTimeout('fixDoubleButtons();', 500); return; } var query = '#mod-sm-badge-top .shareThisEmailIcon .st_pm_button .stButton'; if (jQuery(query).size() == 2) jQuery(query + ':eq(1)').remove(); query = '#mod-sm-badge-top .shareThisShareThisCompact .st_pm_button .stButton'; if (jQuery(query).size() == 2) jQuery(query + ':eq(1)').remove(); query = '#mod-sm-badge-bottom .shareThisEmailIcon .st_pm_button .stButton'; if (jQuery(query).size() == 2) jQuery(query + ':eq(1)').remove(); query = '#mod-sm-badge-bottom .shareThisShareThisCompact .st_pm_button .stButton'; if (jQuery(query).size() == 2) jQuery(query + ':eq(1)').remove(); } </script> <script type='text/javascript'> function removeCommentsButton() { if (jQuery('.comments-container .comments-counter').size() == 0) { setTimeout('removeCommentsButton();', 500); return; } jQuery('.comments-container').empty(); jQuery('.comments-container').remove(); } removeCommentsButton(); </script><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-featured-title" class="mod-latarticlestext mod-text">FEATURED</div><div id="mod-article-image-lt" style="float:left;" class="mod-featuredimage tplmodulefeaturedimage mod-homepageimage mod-articleimage"><div class="photowrapper"><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles_image', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906'); return false;" href="/2012/may/17/nation/la-na-nn-skechers-20120517"><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-4fb56bea/turbine/la-na-nn-skechers-20120517-001/600" onerror="pm_imageFailedFeatured(this);" ></a></div><div class="text-area"><div class="title"><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles_image', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906'); return false;" href="/2012/may/17/nation/la-na-nn-skechers-20120517"><h2>Skechers lawsuit: How to get your piece of the $40-million payout</h2></a></div></div></div><div id="mod-article-image-ct" style="float:left;" class="mod-featuredimage tplmodulefeaturedimage mod-homepageimage mod-articleimage"><div class="photowrapper"><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles_image', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906'); return false;" href="/2012/jul/28/sports/la-sp-sn-nascar-danica-patrick-20120728"><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-50146761/turbine/la-sp-sn-nascar-danica-patrick-20120728-001/600" onerror="pm_imageFailedFeatured(this);" ></a></div><div class="text-area"><div class="title"><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles_image', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906'); return false;" href="/2012/jul/28/sports/la-sp-sn-nascar-danica-patrick-20120728"><h2>Hard crash ends Danica Patrick's NASCAR race at Indianapolis</h2></a></div></div></div><div id="mod-article-image-rt" style="float:left;" class="mod-featuredimage tplmodulefeaturedimage mod-homepageimage mod-articleimage"><div class="photowrapper"><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles_image', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906'); return false;" href="/2012/sep/26/business/la-fi-tn-iphone-5-lost-stolen-track-20120926"><img src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-50633362/turbine/la-fi-tn-track-iphone-5-20120926-001/600" onerror="pm_imageFailedFeatured(this);" ></a></div><div class="text-area"><div class="title"><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles_image', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906'); return false;" href="/2012/sep/26/business/la-fi-tn-iphone-5-lost-stolen-track-20120926"><h2>How to find your lost or stolen iPhone 5</h2></a></div></div></div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-featured-more" class="mod-latarticlestext mod-text">MORE:</div><div class="float" style="clear:both;height:1px;line-height:1px;"><img src="/images/pixel.gif" height="1" width="1" alt="" /></div><div id="mod-hp-article-list" class="mod-latarticlesarticles mod-articles"><div class="article"><div class="title"><h2><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906');return false;" title="Top 10 cars: best gas mileage, lowest sticker price" href="/2013/mar/12/autos/la-fi-hy-autos-edmunds-lowest-cost-mpg-cars-fuel-20130220">Top 10 cars: best gas mileage, lowest sticker price</a></h2></div></div><div class="article"><div class="title"><h2><a onClick="parent.recordOutboundLink(this, 'ap-LA12-G02 more_articles', 'http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/06/sports/la-sp-sn-andy-roddick-20120906');return false;" title="Upsets abound in Farmers Classic quarterfinals as Ram, Berankis advance" href="/2012/jul/27/sports/la-sp-sn-upsets-abound-in-farmers-classic-quarterfinals-20120727">Upsets abound in Farmers Classic quarterfinals as Ram, Berankis advance</a></h2></div></div></div></div><div id="area-left" class="area"><div id="mod-left-sky" class="mod-latarticlesadcpc mod-adcpc with-fourth-cpc"> <script type="text/javascript"> //<![CDATA[ var loc = window.location.href + ""; var float = ""; google_hints = "andy roddick retirement speech kate middleton";google_ad_client="pub-0227802054925200"; google_ad_output="js"; google_ad_channel="5212128158,9744208858,2508893692,8261105409"; google_ad_type="text,image,flash,html"; google_image_size="300x250"; google_safe="high"; google_feedback="on"; google_max_num_ads="4"; google_skip="" + adSkipCounter + ""; google_adtest="off"; google_page_url=document.URL; function google_ad_request_done(ads) { if (ads.length == 0) { return; } // If no ads are returned then dont build the ad block if (ads[0].bidtype == "CPC") { adSkipCounter += ads.length; } // Increment ad skip counter when cpc google_ad_request_done_internal(ads, "", "", "true", "medium_rectangle", "", "", "pgtp=article&pi=34&ci=33655351&cat=sports&pe_id=33655351&tv=ap-LA12-G02&rna=pub-0227802054925200&rn=g&rnrci=5212128158&rnrcn=CMI-A-002&rncci=9744208858&rnccn=CMI-A-028&rnpci=&rnpcn=&rntci=&rntcn=&rnlci=8261105409&rnlcn=8261105409&rnp=c&rt=cpc&paidClick=1&placement_id=left-sky", "", "", "", "", "", "ap-LA12-G02", "Los Angeles Times Articles"); } //]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/google_ad_request.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script></div><div id="mod-ctr-lt" class="mod-latarticlesadopenx mod-adopenx mod-adblock"><div><div class="ad_header">Advertisement</div><div id="mod-ctr-lt-defer"> <iframe name="openxi-339767" src="about:blank" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" width="300" height="250">