Wednesday, June 25, 2003
Set the speed gun: It's Roddick vs. Rusedski
Wimbledon notebook
The Associated Press
WIMBLEDON, England - The record for the fastest serve in tennis history may be in jeopardy today at Wimbledon when Andy Roddick plays Greg Rusedski in a second-round match.
The players currently share the record at 149 miles per hour. With sunshine forecast, Rusedski said conditions might be right for setting a new mark because balls travel faster in warm weather.
"If it gets really hot, there is a chance," Rusedski said. "But he can have the record as long as it's me who stays in."
Rusedski, a 29-year-old left-hander who lives in London, set the record for fastest serve at Indian Wells, California, in 1998. Roddick matched the mark this month on his way to winning a warm-up tournament at Queen's Club in London.
Based on their first-round performances, Roddick seems more likely to break the record. He fired a 141 mph serve in his opening win against Davide Sanguinetti. Rusedski's fastest serve against Alexander Waske was 134 mph.
FASHION SCENE: Wimbledon is allowing men to wear sleeveless shirts for the first time.
Robby Ginepri was the first to model the new look Monday. The American wore it again Tuesday when the match - suspended because of darkness - was completed in a loss to 15th-seeded Arnaud Clement of France 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (3), 10-8.
Wimbledon is letting men dress more casually - the way women have for several seasons. Still, the color must remain "predominantly white."
NALBANDIAN'S BACK: There's something about Wimbledon that agrees with David Nalbandian.
Last year, he became the first player in the Open era to reach the Wimbledon final in his debut year and only the second Argentine to reach a Grand Slam final.
He has made it to the second round this year, defeating Vladimir Voltchkov 7-5, 6-4, 6-2.
"It's very pleasing to come back to the place where I played so well last year," he said. "I didn't feel any pressure. On the contrary, I felt good. At no point was I thinking about going back to be a finalist. I was just thinking about playing and enjoying my tennis."