Roddick Broken

So today is not Andy Roddick's bestest day ever.

He lost to Gilles Simon in straight sets in Washington. Easy straights, too. Simon may have had a very good 2008 and have done his time inside the top ten, but he's definitely not the player Roddick is. I think the only person with a comparable top ten record is Federer.

And now, if I understand rightly, this loss to one-year-wonder Simon has knocked Roddick clear out of the top ten.

And you know what? I think you can trace that poison all the way back to Wimbledon 2009. I think that was the moment when Roddick lost hope of winning another Slam, because he hasn't looked threatening since - not even at the smaller tournaments. Sure, he's racked up a few minor victories (I think), but I don't you think you can underestimate the impact that that 16-14 loss had on Roddick. The moment that Federer got his 15 was the moment Roddick realised he was stuck on 1 forever.

I actually genuinely believe Roddick has the game to win another Slam - probably the US Open or, at the outside, Wimbledon. But if this mindset continues? Not so much. Roddick may have had the misfortune to be born in the great Fedal era and never really have had a shot, but he always hung in there, kept it going. But I think last year at Wimbledon, Federer finally broke him. Roddick's had his head down ever since.

And now, more than a year later, that is showing up in the points.