Sports

Roddick’s U.S. Open goals set low

... Brooklyn Decker (above), cheers from the crowd. Roddick would defeat Williams in straight sets.

… Brooklyn Decker (above), cheers from the crowd. Roddick would defeat Williams in straight sets.

WINNING ON, OFF THE COURT: Andy Roddick competes against Rhyne Williams in the first round of the U.S. Open yesterday as his wife, actress Brooklyn Decker (above), cheers from the crowd. Roddick would defeat Williams in straight sets. (EPA (inset); Larry Marano)

For his 30th birthday present, Andy Roddick could have asked for a berth into Super Saturday’s semifinals with his wife, model Brooklyn Decker, watching from the player box.

But in this twilight stage of his career, a humbled Roddick, who turns 30 tomorrow, said he would be happy to be alive in the U.S. Open’s second week, when the Round of 16 begins.

“I want to be around for next week, that’s what I want for my birthday, then we’ll renegotiate,’’ Roddick said in an oncourt interview after his 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win against 283rd ranked qualifier Rhyne Williams, playing his first Grand Slam match fresh out of the University of Tennessee.

Roddick, wearing his red, white and blue, star-speckled sneakers, awoke the echoes with a 141 mph ace on set point in the first stanza and logged 20 aces in all.

“I haven’t hit 140 in three years, so that’s nice,’’ Roddick said.

Seeded 20th, Roddick has sparked rumors this could be his Open farewell. It makes sense. Roddick, who faces Aussie Bernard Tomic in the second round, may no longer want to be out of the conversation as a Grand Slam title threat, knowing his right shoulder can no longer boom 135 mph serves like in his heyday.

Retirement speculation is of his own doing. After bowing out at Wimbledon in the third round and blowing a kiss to the crowd, Roddick said he didn’t have “a definitive answer’’ on his future. After getting destroyed by Novak Djokovic at the London Olympics, he refused to answer if this was his last go-round at the All-England Club.

Later in the interview room yesterday, Roddick was asked if that birthday wish showed getting to a second week at the Open is now considered an acceptable result for him. Roddick gave a convoluted answer indicating he’s unclear what success is at this juncture.

“No, there is no acceptable result, dude,’’ said Roddick, who has one Grand Slam title on his resumé, the 2003 U.S. Open. “You play your second round, try to win your second round. You go as far as you want or can. I don’t think we think of it in the context of what’s acceptable and what’s not.’’

Roddick’s U.S. Open run ended in the quarterfinals last year as the 21st seed. There is sentiment that his ability to stay semi relevant all these years should be celebrated and he had the misfortune of his prime coinciding with the greatest ever, Roger Federer. But too much was expected and he reaped massive fame because of those expectations.

Asked the big difference between how he plays now to when he won the Open title here, Roddick said the sport has become more multi-dimensional, more physical and no longer based on sheer power.

“I think the game has changed a lot,’’ Roddick said. “You probably were able to get two feet under and you launch the ball a lot more then. I had a massive serve at 135 and this kid [Williams] today was hitting them that big. I think the game has gotten significantly better since then.’’

In fact, Roddick said he deserves more credit for lasting this long. This is his 12th straight year as an Open seed and he feels he’s made adjustments to remain in the top 20. Indeed, at least against Williams, he attacked the net with aplomb and hit a ton of drop volley winners.

“The game changed and I was able to kind of recognize it,’’ Roddick said. “It’s funny because the things I feel like I get criticized for have kept me around a lot more than my contemporaries. I saw the way the game was going, you have to get stronger and quicker. I don’t think there was much room for a plodder who could hit the ball pretty hard. I feel like that’s added to my longevity.’’

Though John Isner has become the elite American player, Roddick still is the face of American tennis. His opponent yesterday was in awe.

“I’ve always been a fan of Andy,’’ Williams said. “He’s been one of my favorite players since I was 8. We have a similar playing style with the serve and forehand. I’ll continue to root for him until he’s done.’’

Roddick probably gets a night match for his birthday tomorrow. Who knows if it will be his last at the Open?