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Just My Type
The Interview
Andy Roddick TENNIS STAR
The husband of 2010 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model Brooklyn Decker won the ATP Masters 1000 series Sony Ericsson Open outside Miami
Dan Patrick:How do you rate winning the Sony Ericsson?
Andy Roddick: I had a good month. The Masters 1000 events are the ones just outside the Slams. I made a final earlier in the month in Palm Springs. And then to win in Miami, it was a real good month for me.
DP:How much pressure do you feel from the American tennis fans who pin their hopes on you?
AR: It's always there. To be honest, it's something that I've kind of been touted with since I was 17. And if there is pressure or expectation there, it's normally a good thing. That means people think you're good enough to pull off something real big.
DP:If you could win one grand slam event....
AR: It would be Wimbledon.
DP:Do you think Roger Federer felt sympathetic toward you after he beat you in that epic final at Wimbledon last year?
AR: I don't know. I don't think he would tell me. He would probably worry about being offensive if he told me he felt sorry for me. Roger and I have a good personal relationship. There's a lot of respect there. I don't want to be presumptuous, but if he weren't in the tournament, I'd like to think he'd probably pull for me—especially in that event.
DP:How did it change your life when your wife appeared on the cover of SI?
AR: It's been a little bit of a whirlwind since then, but it's been really fun to watch. Obviously I take a lot of pride in her success. It's just a matter of juggling schedules. She's been going nonstop since then, so I'm excited to have a little bit of downtime. I'm excited to spend a little bit of time with her.
DP:Any guys on tour give you grief about it?
AR: Surprisingly, no. There's a lot more of, "There's no way you're good enough to have her," or, "What's it feel like to be, by far, the ugliest person in your relationship?"
DP:Now who says that?
AR: Who doesn't? [Laughs.]
DP:You play tennis, but you love talking about other sports.
AR: Yes, because I talk tennis all the time.
DP:Now you get your chance to talk sports on a national platform. You're a Nebraska fan. Should the Rams take your guy, Ndamukong Suh, with the first pick, or should they take an Oklahoma guy, Sam Bradford?
AR: It doesn't really come down to Oklahoma-Nebraska or the given ability or what you think of each player. It comes down to: Do you draft a quarterback or not? [The Rams] cutting Marc Bulger makes it look like they're going to take Bradford. Drafting a quarterback one overall has been a mixed bag. It's risky.
DP:Your career record is 527--167. Are those Hall of Fame numbers?
AR: I think based on the track record of people who are there, the precedent has been set for those to be Hall of Fame numbers.
DP:I was going to Wimbledon this year, but I'm not going to unless you're winning....
AR: So your Wimbledon trip depends on me?
DP:If you're going to be in the finals, I'll book my trip.
AR: Deal. I've been playing well. In the year-to-date standings, I'm [Number] 1. I'm optimistic.
DP:If I'm there, should I sit next to Brooklyn and watch the match?
AR: [Laughs.] No, I want to keep you as far away from Brooklyn as possible.
Big Star
According to Steve Carell, the best athlete on his TV show, The Office, is Brian Baumgartner (above), who plays Kevin. "You think I'm kidding," Carell said. "I think he's a scratch golfer who's played in a bunch of celebrity-pro tournaments." Baumgartner also can handle himself on the hardwood, as he displayed during a pickup game in an episode a few years ago. "After a take, just as himself, he shot 10 three-pointers in a row, just draining them," said Carell. "I had the camera man film them, and it made the show."
Man's World
After he won his seventh women's basketball title at UConn, I asked Geno Auriemma the last time he received an offer to coach a men's team. He told me that the last inquiry was four years ago. "We live in different worlds," he said. "There are so many [women's] coaches ... that are 100 times better than a lot of the coaches in men's basketball."
Line of the week
Perplexed Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins on why his team didn't try to keep two aces, Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay, after a season in which Citizens Bank Park filled to 102.2% of capacity: "I guess that's only a move the Yankees do."
Now Hear This
Listen to the podcasts at danpatrick.com/interviews
1. Charles Barkley discusses Tiger and Phil Mickelson.
2. Tim McCarver on slow play and batting-order strategy.
THE FINE PRINT: Dodgers owner Frank McCourt's divorce is getting ugly. Thanks to his wife's lawyer, Joe Torre can only visit the mound every other weekend.
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MICHAEL J. LEBRECHT II/1DEUCE3 PHOTOGRAPHY (PATRICK)
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NOEL VASQUEZ/GETTY IMAGES (BAUMGARTNER)
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PETER GREGOIRE (ROLLINS)
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MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES (RODDICK)
