Roddick, Not Happy with Health Problems,Pulls Out of Montreal

Andy Roddick’s miserable summer is getting worse and the  former world no.1 and last American male to win the US Open looks like arriving  at Flushing Meadows this year with minimal match practice after being forced to  withdraw from next week’s Rogers Cup in Montreal because the abdominal muscle he  injured nearly a month ago is insufficiently healed for him to  compete.

Roddick, currently world no.12, was not alone in sending bad  news to Eugene Lapierre, tournament director of Canada’s leg in the ATP World  Tour Masters 1000 series. World no.5 Robin Soderling is still troubled by a  wrist, 18th ranked Jurgen Melzer also has a stomach muscle injury and  Guillermo Garcia Lopez, 39th placed this week, is suffering from  appendicitis. In addition Xavier Malisse has withdrawn because of personal  issues.

The upcoming Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati, starting  August 14, remains on Roddick’s schedule. Writing on Twitter he said: “Hopefully  I'll be ready for Cincy in 10 days or so. . . Fingers crossed.”

The  precise description of Roddick’s injury is a partial tear of the oblique right  sided abdominal muscle, which of course is key to hitting any tennis stroke and  particularly the serve. The 28 year-old was also forced to pull out of this  week’s Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington DC, owned by his own management  company Leader Unlimited, and he has only played one match since losing in  Wimbledon’s third round.

“I haven't played well this year for sure,"  Roddick said at Wimbledon. "I don't think I've played my best since probably  April of last year. I've been up against some stuff. But it has to get  better.”

In May the 28 year-old pulled out of the French Open in May  with a right shoulder injury and he was further disappointed with a losing Davis  Cup effort against Spain in his home town of Austin, Texas when he lost in  straight sets to David Ferrer.

Roddick is clearly fretting about match  practice and has signed up to contest the newly instigated Winston Salem Open,  beginning on August 20 just a week before the US Open.

“We are  extremely pleased that Andy has decided to come back to Winston-Salem, where he  has had so much success in the past playing for the United States in the Davis  Cup,” said tournament director Bill Oakes. “His addition gives the tournament  all the top American players and makes an already-strong field even stronger.”