NY1 Pat Kiernan takes on retired tennis star Andy Roddick | Spectrum News

when it comes to the US Open most of the tennis world converges on New York it's not just the players and the trainers and the coaches but it's former players as well all right here we go take it easy on me I'm old and retired he's holding it down for that's uh me hitting a few balls with the the old and retired guy who still has a a pretty hard uh delivery on those tennis balls Andy rodic the 2003 US Open Champion Chase had brought him to Pier 17 for a tennis clinic and then he ran me around the court a little bit and offered a few pointers we also talked about the US Open and the fact that he is here in New York able to watch the US Open without the stress of being a player in the tournament I love how the US Open kind of takes over New York City it's two of my favorite things the event of the US Open uh one of my favorite cities on Earth and listen it's not just a new experience for you I don't often get to play on a tennis court looking out over the Brooklyn Bridge across across the river so this is a special time of year for all of us clearly when you're a player you're in the zone for the competition trying not to be distracted by New York yeah is it fun as a retired player to to be here during US Open it's less stressful um you know this is the the tournament that I I don't miss every year I don't I don't travel much I don't follow the tour around um but so many special memories here um yeah it's it's great it's a lot less stressful you know the night matches I played 40 some odd night sessions on ash um they're great they are great memories I also uh am happy not to have to deal with the stress and the recoveries that start at 4:00 or 5 in the morning uh to then do it all over again 2 days later so uh I miss certain parts of it and I certainly enjoy uh that I don't have to deal with all the stresses anymore the uh the next generation of men's tennis is exciting who have you got your eye on well the next generation is here I mean we're we're our guy who's won two slams this summer is 21 years old um you know he he couldn't drink last year when he was here so um in Center as well you know there's a lot of uh we're spoiled um I personally thought on the heels of Roger going Rafa I think is near the end um I don't have any information but um I think he's you know I I'd be surprised if he played next year um you know Novak's 37 just won Olympic gold seems like he's only getting better with age which is crazy but you got to think he's at least closer to the Finish Line than he is at the beginning I thought there would be a challenge um of of interest in the in the the vacuum of of those great and Serena as well uh Venus as well um going away and demand for tennis around the world and at the US Open has only increased so I would have gotten that one uh completely wrong who you watching in the women's game uh I think sabalenka uh is the favorite obviously coko uh in her defense um you know I think the hardest thing in all of sports isn't accomplishment it's expectation um which I think she's uh she's she's dealing with this year shatek is the most uh you know not talked about uh dominant world number one um that that we've had um even Queen wi Jen from China who just won the gold medal is is lights out so there there's so many good stories a lot more kind of first round popcorn matches on the women's side uh this year in the draw than I think on the men's side and Jamie I should mention that that interview was done on Tuesday so most of the women's players that he mentioned are still in the tournament but as you know there have been a few upset Coco goof among them you know Pat we were texting right after you were playing tennis and I'm going to tell everyone what I told you over text I think that it's a feat just to be taking serves from Andy rodic come on you you held your own what no I did he he held back is really what happened but I got a couple back there was one in particular he tried to speed it up and I I surprised him a little bit by by returning it but then after we finished our our short Clinic I said to Andy you what is it if there was one piece of advice you have for me to improve my tennis game what would it be here's his answer all right I need one tip from you what did what did you notice that I was doing wrong well I I think it can be solved maybe with prayer you got to ask one question here just put your hands like this close your eyes what's the one question I got to ask speak to whoever you need to speak to all right we're trying we're trying for you the focus fortunately the focus here is not on uh on my tennis game it's on the pros Arthur Ash Stadium back there looking forward to seeing Emma Naro in the first match in the afternoon session stories in your communities click the Subscribe button right here you can also download our app or watch us on TV for the latest news and weather updates every 10 minutes and more we'll see you then