Miami Preview

After his success in reaching the semi finals in the heat of the California desert, Andy is now relocating to the East Coast to defend his title in Miami, Florida. This time last year Andy defeated Guillermo Coria in the final of the Nasdaq 100 Open to win his third Tennis Masters Series title and is well placed to make it number four this week.

Miami is a second home for Andy and he has performed well in this tournament in the past. It holds especially good memories for him as it was here in 2001 that he burst onto the ATP scene by taking out Pete Sampras in straight sets before going on to reach the quarter finals. He will also enjoy the strong support he receives from his home turf fans.

Lleyton Hewitt, the number two seed, has withdrawn due to a toe injury he incurred at the Pacific Life Open. This moves Andy into the number two seed position and, therefore, in the bottom half of the draw which means when he faces Roger Federer, it will be in the finals.

Being seeded in the tournament means that Andy has received a bye in the first round and will await the winner of the clash between Peter Wessels (NED) and Fernando Verdasco (ESP) in round two. Andy and Wessels have never met before, but Andy is 2-0 against Verdasco. His recent win against Verdasco was a fierce battle at the Pacific Life Open with Andy prevailing 7-6 in the third.

Some final good news for Andy is that Starbucks Coffee has joined the line up of sponsors at this massive event (only second to the Grand Slams). It is no secret that Andy is a fan of the worldwide popular outlet and now he will be able to stock up on Frapuccinos on site throughout the tournament, and look good for doing so!

Don’t forget to look for Andy’s “No Compromise” wrist bands that will be available at the USTA Florida booth. Sign up for a USTA membership while you are purchasing your wrist band. Both purchases support terrific causes.

Stay tuned to AndyRoddick.com for match previews, reviews, photos, and all the latest news from Miami. There will be a dedicated page for the Nasdaq 100, so all the latest information will be easy to find.

Go Andy!