Paul J. Bereswill
Hopes were high for Andy Roddick at the U.S. Open. In Wimbledon he pressed Roger Federer to the brink and this weekend was expected to do the same in Flushing, Queens. Then came John Isner, who is 6-9 and blasts serves even more devastating than Roddick's. Roddick, the crowd favorite, lost the match in a fifth-set tiebreaker after rallying from two sets down. The contest lasted three hours and 51 minutes and finished 7-6 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 5-7, 7-6 (5). Newsday reports that Isner was noticeably winded towards the end of the match, but that his "howitzer serves kept coming." Roddick's comments once again reflected his sense of humor that has gotten him through so many tough losses: "I don't know what the deal is now. I was actually kind of tall when I first came on tour. That's just not close to the case anymore. It's not like I'm giving up an inch. I'm giving up a good five inches to the majority of my opponents."