During a U.S. Open press conference last September, Andy Roddick ridiculed Novak Djokovic’s numerous calls to the trainer, suggesting that maybe he had SARS or the bird flu, but then he lost to the Serb in the quartefinals.  Djokovic didn’t get the joke, and was angry in the aftermatch interview and New York fans booed him off the court.   But Roddick got the latest laugh in Melbourne when he took a 2-1 lead in sets and Djokovic retired with cramps in the Australia summer heat. 

Roddick now plays Roger Federer in the semis, a preview of a Davis Cup matchup in Birmingham the first weekend of March.  Although Roddick has a dismal 2-15 record against Federer, he did beat him the last time they played in March 2008 in Miami.

Roddick’s win also makes 2009 already a better year for U.S. men in Grand Slams that 2008, a year in which no American reached the semifinals of any slam.  It has been since Roddick’s U.S. Open win in 2003 since an American won a Grand Slams.  Could he break the streak this year?

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