When Novak Djokovic retired against Andy Roddick and lost the Australian Open crown
A year after winning his first Major title, Novak Djokovic reached his eighth quarter-final at the most notable tournaments in Melbourne. Instead of remaining on the title course, Novak retired against Andy Roddick while trailing 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 2-1 on Rod Laver Arena.
The American faced only one break point in the entire encounter and grabbed five breaks from 12 opportunities to control the scoreboard after the opener. The American tamed his strokes nicely after 43 winners and 14 unforced errors and moved over the top when Novak retired after the fourth set’s third game due to heat stress.
Roddick secured the opener’s third game with an ace, and Djokovic locked the result at 2-2 with a volley winner.
Novak Djokovic retired at the 2009 US Open.
Novak brought the sixth game home at love after a backhand down the line winner, and Andy opened a 4-3 gap with an ace down the T line.
They both served well until the tie break, and Djokovic fired four forehand winners to build the advantage. The Serb earned three set points at 5-3 after a lucky net cord winner and landed another powerful forehand in the tenth point to claim the opener in style and gain a boost.
The first break of serve came at 3-3 in the second set after Roddick’s smash winner, and the American cemented the advantage to move 5-3 up. Serving for the set at 5-4, Andy held at love with an unreturned serve to level the overall score and improve his chances.
Djokovic struggled under a boiling Melbourne sun and lost serve at the beginning of the third set after Roddick’s forehand winner. The defending champion painted a lob winner in game two to pull the break back and held with a forehand winner to get back on the positive side.
Andy grabbed another break at 2-2 and opened a 4-2 gap with an ace in the next one. Novak hit a double fault in game seven to lose serve again, and Andy clinched the set with an unreturned serve a few minutes later. The Serb saved four break points at the…
Source : tennisworldusa
