Timing is Everything

Andy Roddick played the best tennis match of his life today. He stared down the greatest player in the sport's history and fought toe-to-toe for almost five hours of brilliant stroke work, rallying and service as the spectators hovering over him cheered and pulled for his opponent.

Not often to you play the greatest game of your life and lose. But that's just what happened to Roddick today. No one gave the 26-year old American even a puncher's chance to compete with the great Roger Federer. Hell, no one gave him to a chance to even beat Andy Murray in the semifinals. Murray, Britain's transformed darling who was looking to be the first Englishman to win Wimbledon since World War II, was the favorite to shove Roddick aside to set-up a classic showdown between the country's favorite player and history's finest player. Roddick was exceptional against Murray in winning a 4-set slugfest and was even better against Federer. But Federer proved today why he's the ultimate champion, matching the feisty American with ever shot with a historic 5-set classic.

I can't help but sympathize for Roddick. He's definitely been the most talented American male tennis player of this decade and has been ranked as a top 10 player in the world since 2003. When you break down all of Roddick's statistics, research his injuries and coaching changes, studied his match-ups and draws, it really boils down to one hard core fact: Roddick is just the product of extremely poor timing.

Roddick was born on August 30, 1982 while Federer was born on August 8, 1981 (anniversary to be...WOO HOO!!!) Roddick won his first Grand Slam title in 2003 when he was crowned the US Open champion after defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero (that year's French Open champ.) Subsequently, he was awarded the world's number one ranking and looking like, not only the future of tennis in the country, but on the planet.

Then this Federer guy came along.

Federer started his siege of 15 Grand Slam titles in 2004 and has not looked back since. Roddick continues to plug along, consistently spotlighted in any tournament's field and usually defeating his opponents on his way through the bracket. Unfortunately, he's never being able to grasp another Grand Slam. Roddick has reached the finals of Grand Slams on four other occasions:

2004 - Wimbledon - lost to Federer

2005 - Wimbledon - lost to Federer

2006 - US Open - lost to Federer

2009 - Wimbledon - lost to Federer

There have been 23 Grand Slam tournaments played since Roddick's US Open title. Do you know how many of those tournaments have NOT been won Federer and Rafael Nadal?

Three.

That means, no matter how good you are, how hard you work to be the best, you've run into the greatest tennis duo EVER.

In contrast, Tiger Woods, the greastest golfer and who most people claim is the greatest athlete on Earth, has won 6 Major tournaments in the same span that Federer has won 15! Do you know how many times the same golfer has finished second to Woods or has been paired with Woods in the final grouping?

Zero.

Now, imagine if Roddick were 29 or 23 years old instead of 26. If he were 29, his best years might have been between 2001-2003, when guys like Goran Ivanisevic, Tomas Johannson and Albert Costa were winning Grand Slams. If Roddick were 23, he'd be the same age as Nadal - who currently has fragile knee problems - and the two just might be fighting for who would be the next great replacement to Federer.

No matter how you slice it, we probably will never remember Andy Roddick as one of the greatest tennis players of our time. Federer has been at the forefront of the tennis landscape for over five years and has wisked away everyone in his path on his trek into the history books. I hope Roddick wins at least one more Grand Slam title before his retires. If he doesn't, maybe he should join the PGA Tour; he probably would have better luck.