Roddick Tallies Ace Hiring Connors

*This column was to be printed for The Daily Gamecock, the student newspaper at the University of South Carolina. I'm not sure that it made it in, but it was to be published about one day into the U.S. Open. As I watch Andy Roddick take a 2-set lead on a long-time nemesis of his, Lleyton Hewitt, the old Roddick is definitely back. Roddick's showing genuine excitement from tennis - something I haven't seen in some time.*

These days tennis columns are typically confined to Roger Federer’s world dominance and Maria Sharapova’s...well, just Maria Sharapova.

But as the U.S. Open’s first week unravels in New York it’s worth noting that hometown hopeful James Blake is not the lone American competitor. Andy Roddick has emerged from public criticism this summer and is seen as one of the tentative favorites.

In June, Roddick punctuated a year of letdowns with a third-round loss to rising Brit Andy Murray. Something must have hit him. He then latched onto eight-time grand slam champion Jimmy Connors as his new coach and has reemerged ever since.

Since, Roddick has made a final, won the Cincinnati Masters and claimed the U.S. Open Series crown (the latter refers to the player who earns the most points during the tour’ series of American hard-court tournaments). He also took off a couple weeks between these honors to reportedly nurse an injury. This may be true, but one speculates whether he was just having a “getting-to-know-you” session with Connors.

Either way, Roddick appears healthy and more importantly, back to his style of play – intimidating, energetic offense. To top it all off, he seems to be having fun. This is trivial to some athletes, but Roddick is all about fun. He loves taking a risky forehand down the line, punching a 125 mile per hour second serve out wide or rebuking an official when he feels it necessary.

“It's a lot of fun right now. I don't think you can overemphasize how important that is,” Roddick told ESPN.

This all sounds a lot like Connors. Connors loved risk and reward, is second only to John McEnroe in passionate yelling and OK, he didn’t hit 125 mph second serves. But Connors was also master of celebrations - joyous leaps, glaring smiles and famously slapping hands with on-court fans.

But Connors is about his business more than Roddick has been in the last year. Roddick’s missed the physical intensity that Connors clung to, even in utter frustration.

Connors has been the arrogant, excited personality on and off the court. He’s played in the shadows of greats like Bjorn Borg. He’s the opportunist who would always take that daring shot. He’s the free spirit Roddick was when he won the 2003 U.S. Open.

Perhaps Connors’ most remarkable moment came at age 39, when he made it to the U.S. Open semifinals nearly 20 years after his first grand slam title. He found his intensity and flair one last time. Roddick may not win this Open, but he’s found his coach and their very similar flair.