Dateline: 05/07/01

Andy Roddick defeated Hyung-Taik Lee 7-5, 6-3 in Sunday's final of the U.S. Clay Court Championships in Houston to claim his second ATP title. At 18, Roddick claims back-to-back ATP titles, having won the Verizon Challenge a week earlier in Atlanta. Currently holding the world's number one junior ranking, Roddick has been expected to make his mark on the pro tour, but the speed of his ascent in the pro rankings is putting him in the lead among the new generation of American players. His win Sunday elevates him to number 21 in the ATP Champions Race.

Although his first two titles have come on clay, Roddick's game may be even more effective on faster surfaces.

Roddick's first serves regularly clock in at over 120 mph, with some as fast as 139. His second serve is equally good. He uses the huge racquet-head speed that delivers his first serve power to generate monstrous twist spin on the second-serve, making the ball often kick up well above the head of his opponent. At the Verizon Challenge, he held serve for 42 consecutive games. On hard courts and especially grass, his first serve will be even tougher, but that second serve kick won't work quite as well on grass, where the ball tends to skid forward instead of biting into the surface. Fortunately, Roddick also has a wide slice serve that should work beautifully on grass.

Unlike some other big servers like Greg Rusedski and Mark Phillipoussis, though, Roddick is very quick around the court. A lean 6'1", he has an ideal build for tennis, and he has a complete game to go with it. He showed a full range of strokes in Sunday's final, his favorite being the power forehand, which he delivers using a grip a little west of Semi-Western. His two-handed backhand is fairly compact and crisp, and he augments it with some nice one-handed slices. On his opponent's second serves, he'll often hit a deep topspin approach, then finish the point with a competent volley.

While Andy Roddick's win was big news for American tennis, Hyung-Taik Lee's reaching his first ATP final was huge in South Korea. Lee is Korea's top player and probably their best-known athlete. He took out the second seed, Andrew Ilie, and the fourth seed, Michal Tabara on his way to the final, where he put up a good fight against the much more powerful Roddick. Lee is quick and consistent, with an especially accurate one-handed backhand.

Can Roddick keep it up? Join our forum discussion.

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