AFP/File Photo: by news.yahoo.com
NEW YORK (AFP) - Patrick McEnroe has donned yet another tennis hat during the US Open as he tries to return Andy Roddick to greatness.
Not only does the busy 42-year-old younger brother of seven-time Grand Slam winner John McEnroe serve as US Davis Cup captain, he also works for the USTA while doing part-time broadcasting. In addition, his wife is again pregnant.
Roddick made the call earlier this month after amicably letting big brother John Roddick off the hook as the elder sibling grew tired of travelling.
Patrick McEnroe will be working with the 2003 Open winner for only this fortnight in hopes of helping Roddick polish a lagging big game which has failed to do major damage in the past few seasons.
"I obviously respect his opinion, and we get along great, and we're pretty close," said Roddick, seeded eighth and into the second round after beating Fabrice Santoro.
"I know his family well, and his baby girl and his wife. But at the same time, he captains our Davis Cup team. So who knows if that's a conflict of interest in any way, shape or form with the other players."
Roddick, who parted company with Jimmy Connors in February after 18 months together, knows that McEnroe can only serve as a short-term solution.
"There's no way he can be Davis Cup captain and coach against one of his (other) players, that's just impossible," admitted Roddick. "It (a permanent arrangement) is not really even worth discussing, because I don't think it's in the realm of possibility."
Roddick said he needed a quick fix, "someone who knew my game, knew my personality."
"It was pretty obvious who would be the best fit to help me out for this, just this tournament."
Roddick is hoping that a gamble to skip the Beijing Olympics in favour of playing North American hardcourt events would pay off big in New York.
"I'll probably get to that decision (on a permanent coach). I have a fair amount of time after this to figure it out."
Roddick said he and his brother parted without rancor. "John's been feeling the effects of the road for a little while. When we first got together, it was temporary.
"He was kind of just helping me out and was going to help, and then all of a sudden it's two and a half years later. I think he was spent, and I was struggling, and so it was an easy conversation. He was just like, 'I'm kind of tapped.'
"It's pretty intense day to day, and I'm pretty intense day to day. But he's been here the whole time, and we've been hanging out, so it's not too big of a deal, and we'll always be brothers."
Roddick made the call earlier this month after amicably letting big brother John Roddick off the hook as the elder sibling grew tired of travelling.
Patrick McEnroe will be working with the 2003 Open winner for only this fortnight in hopes of helping Roddick polish a lagging big game which has failed to do major damage in the past few seasons.
"I obviously respect his opinion, and we get along great, and we're pretty close," said Roddick, seeded eighth and into the second round after beating Fabrice Santoro.
"I know his family well, and his baby girl and his wife. But at the same time, he captains our Davis Cup team. So who knows if that's a conflict of interest in any way, shape or form with the other players."
Roddick, who parted company with Jimmy Connors in February after 18 months together, knows that McEnroe can only serve as a short-term solution.
"There's no way he can be Davis Cup captain and coach against one of his (other) players, that's just impossible," admitted Roddick. "It (a permanent arrangement) is not really even worth discussing, because I don't think it's in the realm of possibility."
Roddick said he needed a quick fix, "someone who knew my game, knew my personality."
"It was pretty obvious who would be the best fit to help me out for this, just this tournament."
Roddick is hoping that a gamble to skip the Beijing Olympics in favour of playing North American hardcourt events would pay off big in New York.
"I'll probably get to that decision (on a permanent coach). I have a fair amount of time after this to figure it out."
Roddick said he and his brother parted without rancor. "John's been feeling the effects of the road for a little while. When we first got together, it was temporary.
"He was kind of just helping me out and was going to help, and then all of a sudden it's two and a half years later. I think he was spent, and I was struggling, and so it was an easy conversation. He was just like, 'I'm kind of tapped.'
"It's pretty intense day to day, and I'm pretty intense day to day. But he's been here the whole time, and we've been hanging out, so it's not too big of a deal, and we'll always be brothers."
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