CINCINNATI, Aug 17 (IANS): American tennis star Andy Roddick feels tennis does not attract more television viewers than wrestling because of its harsh rules.
Roddick, who succumbed to a three-set defeat to Philipp Kohlschreiber in Western and Southern Open Monday, was penalised twice during the match. He received a warning for slamming his racket against the court followed by a point penalty for hitting a ball into the crowd in frustration after a double-fault - a punishment that cost him a crucial break in the deciding set.
�Obviously it�s a split second thing,� Roddick said of hitting the ball into the crowd. �As soon as I did it I wanted it back. It was a judgment call for him (the umpire). I am pretty sure I saw an eight-year-old girl catch it on the way down. He was telling me I hit it as hard as I could. It just sucks. I can�t blame him, but I�m sitting here turning a six-week injury into a three-week injury, rehabbing eight hours a day, and a split-second decision he interjects himself and it�s done.
�It�s so frustrating. I certainly accept what I did. I put him in a bad situation out there. But I do think it�s stupid in tennis that I mean, in (American) football if someone throws a helmet on the sideline, it�s their helmet. We wonder where we lose our ratings battles to the WWE, Monday Night Raw.
�John McEnroe, the guy is still getting endorsement because he was allowed to throw s***. I understand where (the umpire) is coming from but at a certain point, you know, you hit a tennis ball into a stadium, someone goes home with a souvenir, and it pretty much ruins the match from there. Seems counter-productive,� he was quoted as saying in ESPN.
The former World No.1 said he is still grappling with a few injury niggles and will be play in next week�s ATP Tour to gauge his fitness ahead of the US Open.
�Tonight, I was feeling it. I don�t know that I quite had my legs back yet,� he said. �I think it would have taken a lot tonight. I was just disappointed. Equal parts mad and also disappointed in myself. You know, it�s essentially a long uphill battle from there. So I was pretty mad at myself.
�I just want to play good tennis. For two sets tonight I actually hit the ball well considering. I hit the ball a lot better than I thought I would, if I�m being totally candid.�
