Roddick likes Wimbledon

Associated Press

“Rodd-ick! Rodd-ick! Rodd-ick!”

Surprising as it may have been to hear full-throated chants echo through the often-staid Centre Court stands — 15,000 or so voices rising as one in the moments after last year’s Wimbledon final concluded with a 16-14 fifth set — what was most remarkable was the name the spectators chose to yell.

They did not salute the champion, Roger Federer, who claimed his sixth title at Wimbledon and record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title overall. Instead, they hailed the runner-up, Andy Roddick, who dropped to 1-4 in major finals, including 0-3 at the All England Club — each loss against Federer.

When Wimbledon begins Monday, Roddick will resume his quest for a championship that would mean quite a lot to him, one that barely eluded him in 2009.

Roddick served almost impeccably and was broken only once, in the 77th and last game of Federer’s 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 victory — the longest match and longest fifth set, in terms of games, in Grand Slam final history. And don’t forget this: Roddick injured his hip when he tumbled to the court in the fourth set.

“I’m always anxious going into Wimbledon. I don’t think that’s going to change,” said the 27-year-old Roddick. “I don’t go in with any sense of entitlement or any sense of anything like that. I’m excited to get onto a surface that I actually feel that I can impose my game on a little bit more.”

Or as Roddick’s coach, Larry Stefanki, put it: “Grass is what you’d call his bread-and-butter.”

There are plenty of players who could block the No. 5-seeded Roddick’s path, including the top-seeded Federer, who has reached a record seven consecutive Wimbledon finals. The only loss in those seven? That came in 2008 against Federer’s nemesis, Rafael Nadal.

Eastbourne INTERNATIONAL

EASTBOURNE, England

Unseeded Ekaterina Makarova of Russia defeated Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (5), 6-4 at the Eastbourne International grass-court event Saturday to win her first career title.

In the men’s final, Michael Llodra of France defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5, 6-2. It was Llodra’s second tournament victory of the year and the fifth of his career.

Unicef OPEN

DEN BOSCH, Netherlands

Justine Henin beat No. 7 Andrea Petkovic 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win the Unicef Open for her first grass-court title in three years.

Sergiy Stakhovsky beat Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-0 to win the men’s title.