Heroic Andy Roddick nets chickendinner a tidy profit

A-Rod went over four hours without being broken but still lost

Photo Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

Americans aren’t supposed to play the role of gracious runners-up at sporting events but for the third time in six years, Andy Roddick was left congratulating Roger Federer on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

chickendinner tipped A-Rod to reach the final, which if you bet with Paddy Power as we advised would have earned you a £50 return on a £5 E/W stake, although it could have been £145 if he hadn’t tired at the end.

It was impossible not to feel sorry for the lovable sixth seed after he went over four hours without having his serve broken (37 games) against the new world number one and 15 time Grand Slam champion, only for defeats in tiebreaks - in which he is usually so strong - to cost him dearly.

Roddick can take heart from the fact the last two losing finalists triumphed a year later but he becomes only the second man in the Open Era - and seventh of all time - to lose his first three Wimbledon finals. While Goran Ivanisevic eventually won the title at the fourth attempt, four of the last five men never got the title they deserved, with three never reaching the final again.

Posted: July 6th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn |