Sun Sentinel: The wisdom of Andy Roddick

To most, Andy Roddick is still that antic guy dating various Los Angeles entertainment personalities, occasionally sassing a linesperson or chair umpire and, particularly after victories, offering up a little comic relief to reporters.But in the last couple of years he’s grown into one of the wisest and most introspective players on the ATP tour, perhaps never more than this afternoon, when he spoke at length and with great insight about the meaning of confidence in tennis.

It had been suggested to Roddick that great athletes are born with confidence or somehow are gifted with it.

No, said Roddick. Confidence comes with winning. It’s that simple. You don’t just turn it on.

“Michael Jordan, when he first came back, he lost the series to the Orlando Magic and the ball got stolen from him with 40 seconds left. You don’t remember that because of how great he is normally. You’re probably not going to remember this stretch in Roger Federer’s career 10 years from now.

“You’re only going to remember the really high moments, because that’s what gets celebrated and etched in your mind.

“The thing about being an athlete, every day you come to the office, you have to beat someone. It’s not like being an actor where you have one movie and you’re celebrated forever and you don’t need to do anything, and that’s what you’re remembered for.

“As an athlete, you have to come every day and beat the guy across the net. If he’s low in confidence and wins matches, I don’t see how you can say that’s not going to help.

“If you lose a couple matches in a row, that’s going to affect you. I don’t care if you’re Albert Einstein at the Intelligence Olympics. It’s going to affect you.

“The only thing that can get your confidence back — and I can tell you because I had a confidence crisis a couple years ago — nothing can recreate that feeling than actually going out and doing it. It’s winning matches that helps make you fell better about the situation.”

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