Roddick: 'I Don't Care If It's Ugly'

© Getty ImagesAndy Roddick won the US Open in 2003 and reached the final in 2006.

Former champion Andy Roddick was quick to declare that his game needed to be much sharper than it was in his Wednesday night opener if he is to be a contender for the 2011 US Open title. After toiling for four sets and almost three hours to fight off gritty 33-year-old American Michael Russell, Roddick said that he was paying the price for a lack of matches heading into Flushing Meadows.

“It was okay… I’m still trying to find myself,” assessed Roddick during an ESPN interview soon after his 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5  win over Russell, who now has eight first-round losses in his eight career appearances at the tournament. “I’m certainly still short on match play this year. I’ll keep fighting because it’s what I do. I don’t care if it’s ugly; I’ll try to get through.

“I’m not going to pretend that I am in championship form right now [but] people have worked their way into tournaments before and I’ll get that opportunity. I don’t have to win the tournament tomorrow, I just have to win my next match."

Roddick, who celebrated his 29th birthday on Tuesday, served 13 aces and clocked 42 winners in a match that grew in intensity and entertainment value as it wore on, with Russell matching the former World No. 1 from the backcourt and displaying his trademark fighting spirit and exceptional retrieving skills.

In the second round the No. 21 seed will face teenage American wild card Jack Sock. Last year, as the ninth seed, Roddick suffered a surprise four-set loss in the second round to Serb Janko Tipsarevic.

Roddick triumphed at Flushing Meadows in 2003 and is one of four US Open champions in the main draw, alongside Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro and five-time winner Roger Federer. Roddick has reached the quarter-finals or better of the US Open seven times, including a run to the final in 2006, when he lost to Federer.

Earlier in the night John Isner repeated his victory from a week ago in Winston-Salem over Marcos Baghdatis with a 7-6(2), 7-6(11),  2-6, 6-4 win to reach the second round, improving to 4-0 lifetime against the Cypriot. Isner also beat Baghdatis earlier in the month in Montreal - his only win in the two summer North American hard court tournaments this year.

Isner next meets fellow American Robby Ginepri, a four-setter winner over Brazilian Joao Souza, and could meet either No. 12 seed Gilles Simon or No. 18 seed and 2009 champion del Potro in the fourth round.

Fans in the U.S. can watch a free live stream of up to six courts at the US Open:

Watch Ashe Stadium
Watch Armstrong Stadium
Watch Grandstand
Watch Court 11
Watch Court 13
Watch Court 17

Listen To USOpen.org Radio