More people want to ask Andy Roddick about a Grand Slam final he lost than the one he won.
Yes, that 16-14 defeat in the fifth set against Roger Federer at Wimbledon in 2009 seems to spark more conversations than Roddick's straight-set victory at the 2003 US Open, the last time any American man won a major.
"For better or worse, it's going to be the '09 Wimbledon final. It's the match people want to talk about," Roddick said on Friday, a day before he is inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
Despite the loss, Roddick won counltess new fans that day.
"It's a proud moment for me," he said.
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"To go on the biggest stage and, I know I didn't come up on the right end of it, but I don't know that I could have played or executed a game plan better than I did.
"It's definitely the one I hear about the most and talk about the most and kind of think about the most."
On Saturday, Roddick and another former No. 1 player, four-time major champion Kim Clijsters, will headline the Hall's Class of 2017.
Both played their last singles matches in 2012 at the US Open, an important site for their careers.
Clijsters won titles in New York in 2005, 2009 -- with her daughter, Jada, prancing around the trophy in Arthur Ashe Stadium -- and 2010, along with the Australian Open in 2011.
In addition to winning his Grand Slam trophy at Flushing Meadows, Roddick was the runner-up there in 2006 to Federer.
Roddick's trio of runner-up finishes at Wimbledon in 2004, 2005 and 2009 all came against Federer.
"I gave myself a lot peace of mind when I decided I wasn't going to compare myself to Roger," Roddick said with a chuckle.
Australia's former world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt praised his one-time rival.
"A great competitor. Always getting the most out of himself," Hewitt said.
"Left it all out on the court every time he stepped out there.
"Looked like he did all the hard work, as well, to try and prepare himself as well as possible."
