Tasty Crushie Tuesday: Andy Roddick

Andrew Stephen Roddick
Nickname: A-Rod
Date Of Birth: August 30 1982
Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska
Siblings: 2 older brothers
Height: 6'2
Weight: 81kg
Favourite Music: Lifehouse and Outkast
Favourite food: Pizza
Hobbies: Golf and basketball
Pets: A rabbit

* More info and photos after break

Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick (born August 30, 1982) is a retired American professional tennis player and former world no. 1.

He became a Grand Slam singles champion when he won the title at the 2003 US Open, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final. He is currently the last North American male player to win a Grand Slam singles event. Roddick has reached four other Grand Slam finals (Wimbledon in 2004, 2005, and 2009, and the US Open in 2006), losing to Roger Federer in all four. He is married to Brooklyn Decker, a Sports Illustrated swimwear model and actress.

On August 30, 2012, during the 2012 US Open and on his 30th birthday, Roddick announced that he would retire after the tournament. Following a fourth-round defeat to Juan Martín del Potro, Roddick retired from the sport with the aim of focusing on his foundation in future years.

PERSONAL LIFE

It was while Roddick was watching a show on the CNN/Sports Illustrated website called "She Says Z Says" that he first noticed Brooklyn Decker, to whom he is now married. (According to Decker, as she stated in an interview with David Letterman, Roddick had his agent contact her agent to arrange an initial meeting.) The two began dating in 2007, and on March 31, 2008, Roddick announced on his website that he and Decker had become engaged. The couple was married in Austin on April 17, 2009.

Andy's favorite teams are: Miami Heat (NBA), Green Bay Packers (NFL), Nebraska Cornhuskers (NCAA), Cincinnati Reds (MLB) and New York Yankees (MLB).

AWARDS and RECORDS

In 2004, Roddick produced what was then the fastest serve in professional tennis: 249.4 km/h (155 mph) during a Davis Cup semi-final match with Vladimir Voltchkov on hard court in Charleston. Roddick's record serve has since been superseded by Ivo Karlović, who served at 251 km/h (156 mph) playing at the Davis Cup in March 2011. Roddick also had the fastest serve in U.S. Open history: 244 km/h (152 mph) against American Scoville Jenkins, and against future world number one Rafael Nadal . Roddick also won the 2004 ESPY Award for Best Male Tennis Player.

That same year he won the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award of the Year because of his charity efforts, which included: raising money for the survivors of the tsunami following 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake through Serving for Tsunami Relief and other efforts; auctioning off several rackets and autographs to raise money for UNICEF; and creating the Andy Roddick Foundation to help at-risk youth. The foundation is partly funded through the sale of blue wristbands inscribed "No Compromise", inspired by Lance Armstrong's yellow Livestrong wristbands.

In 2007 Roddick and the Andy Roddick Foundation was awarded by the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. Roddick was the first male tennis player ever to receive the award.

SERVE RECORDS:

Fastest serve in Australian open: 148 mph.
Fastest serve in Dubai: 150 mph.
Fastest average in first serve: 134 mph.
Fastest serve in Beijing: 148 mph.
Fastest serve in San Jose: 150 mph.
Fastest serve in Madrid: 151 mph.
Fastest serve in Washington: 151 mph.
Fastest serve in Queens: 153 mph.
Fastest serve in Lyon: 142 mph.
Fastest serve in Roland Garros: 144 mph (2006–2010).
Fastest serve in Wimbledon: 143 mph (2011)

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