Roddick the gags ace – bar none

ANDY Roddick couldn’t help himself when Kooyong Classic boss Colin Stubs yesterday offered an open invitation to make use of the swish club’s gym and pool.

“Where’s the bar?” Roddick playfully chipped in.

Roddick was the one cracking all the gags as he joined Roger Federer, David Nalbandian, Guillermo Coria, Tommy Haas, Gael Monfils, Ivan Ljubicic and Nicolas Kiefer for the launch of the Kooyong Classic.

When you can’t get close to getting back to No. 1 with a bloke called Federer in the way, you’ve got to keep your sense of humour.

Lleyton Hewitt has also been a frustration, continually outlasting and out-thinking the big-serving American. It happened again at the Australian Open last year.

Roddick has made the semis here in 2003 and 2005 and won his way through to the quarters in 2004. With Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal and Andre Agassi hobbled by injury, his prospects seem bright again.

So with the talent pool at the top a little thinner than last year, is this his best chance of finally claiming the first Grand Slam event of the year?

“Going into a Grand Slam, you know if you’re going to win it you’re going to have to beat the top players,” Roddick said.

“It’s just the way it is. I don’t look at my chances at the Australian Open being dependent on others.

“Each person has to focus on their tournament and their campaign. I don’t want to focus on stuff that is too far out of my control.”

Considering he has won more than 50 matches on tour in each of the past four years, Roddick seems a veteran even though he has claimed only one major – the 2003 US Open.

He joked that the new generation emerging – led by the likes of Monfils and Nadal – was exciting, but he was starting to feel old.

“I just have to make sure I bring my walker,” Roddick said.

Roddick also had a few words for Agassi, a seriously old man of the tour who is missing from the Open this year.

He was deadly serious about the the handball mishap that wrecked Agassi’s ankle and derailed his Open hopes, saying it was only a freak accident.

But asked if the players had to be careful about what strange sports they attempt, Roddick light-heartedly said he was lucky handball wasn’t one of his hobbies.

“I don’t think you’re going to see any of us going on a skiing vacation or popping wheelies on a motorcycle or anything like that,” he said.