Agassi, World No. 1, George W. Bush: Roddick's Untold Anecdotes
Andy Roddick remembers, with emotion and humor, the day his idol Andre Agassi gifted him the biggest title of his career, before President George W. Bush added an unexpected twist.
In 2003, Andy Roddick experienced the most intense year of his career. The 22-year-old American, full of fire and passion, was on the verge of achieving the Holy Grail: the world number one ranking. At that time, Roddick was battling Juan Carlos Ferrero and the young Roger Federer for the throne of world tennis.
"I won more than 70 matches that year. I didn't take many weeks off. In the end, I was drained, physically and mentally."
The decisive moment came in Houston, during the Masters Finals. Ferrero faced Andre Agassi. If the American won, Roddick would be crowned world number one.
"I remember listening to the match on my cell phone; this was before streaming apps. When I heard the crowd erupt and realized Agassi had won, I knew it was done: I was number one!"
But the next day, an exhausted Roddick was eliminated from the tournament. However, the coronation ceremony remained unforgettable. Former US President George W. Bush, a regular spectator at the Houston tournament, came to present him with the trophy.
"He shook my hand and said: 'Congratulations, tough match today.' I replied: 'Yeah, I wasn't really in it today.'" Then, the anecdote takes a turn as funny as it is improbable.
"In the photos, we were raising a finger to illustrate the number one spot. And at one point, the President leaned over to me and whispered: 'After your match this afternoon, I bet you feel like giving a different finger to everybody, don't you?'. I burst out laughing. He had that unique sense of humor. It's a memory I will keep for the rest of my life."
