US top seed, Roddick pulls out of Delray Beach
Illness prompted US top seed Roddick to pull out of Delray Beach
The US top ace, Andy Roddick has pulled out of the ATP Delray Beach International Championship after feeling physically ill Monday. The American top seed said that he felt sick after the game at Memphis on Sunday, where he won his 30th career ATP crown.
The Agence France Presse noted that despite his 7-6 (9/7), 6-7 (11/13), 7-5 win, the 28-year old ace was ‘pushed to the limit’ and worked hard as he battled with 20-year-old Canadian Milos Raonic. Roddick was seen ‘smacking a diving forehand passing winner on match point’ which he described as ‘the greatest shot of his career’.
“I felt like I got hit by a bus,” Roddick was quoted as saying by Roddick as he explained his physical condition in a statement, after his dogfight with Raonic.
He added, “I woke up this morning and my bed was soaking wet from sweat. It’s just unfortunate timing for this sickness.”
Roddick’s pro debut at Delray Beach was in 2000 and has not stepped his foot in the Florida court since 2003. The former World No.1 has also suffered mononucleosis last year and he insisted that he did not want to ‘take any chances’ with any undetermined illness that he has felt this time.
“I honestly don’t feel like I can go out there and give my best”, the American seed said expressing his dismay over his illness. “I need to get better before I can play again”.
The only player listed on the ATP Top 10, Roddick noted that he is planning to meet with doctors as soon as he gets to his Texas home. From Delray Beach, Roddick will lead the US Davis Cup team during the first round tie at Santiago, Chile.