With the current suspension of the ATP and WTA Tours, we are opening up our US Open vault to bring you full match videos of classic encounters through the years in New York.
Watch on YouTube: Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick, 2006 US Open men's singles final
The Roger Federer-Andy Roddick rivalry spanned 24 matches across 12 years from 2001-12, though Roddick, the winner of just three of those meetings, has joked that it wasn't much of a "rivalry." Aside from their 2009 Wimbledon classic, which ended 16-14 in the fifth for the Swiss, the 2006 US Open final stands as one of the most riveting matchups in their long history. At two hours, 25 minutes, it was their fourth-longest contest.
The match was played on Roddick's home turf, the site of his lone major title in 2003, but it was Federer who came in as the two-time defending champion, seeking a threepeat. It was even in Arthur Ashe Stadium through two sets, and the match was finely poised at 5-all in the third, until Federer found a new gear to run off eight of the match's final nine games for the title.
Roddick would reach five Grand Slam finals in his career (which ended at the 2012 US Open, shortly after his 30th birthday), facing and losing to Federer in four of them—three at Wimbledon and one at the US Open. His 2003 US Open title came after a straight-sets demolition of Juan Carlos Ferrero in the championship match.
For Federer, his run of five straight US Open titles was earned by defeating former and eventual champions and world No. 1 players in each title match. He defeated Andre Agassi (2004), Lleyon Hewitt (2005), Roddick (2006), Novak Djokovic (2007) and Andy Murray (2008), before losing to Juan Martin del Potro in the 2009 final to halt his New York win streak at 40 matches (plus one walkover).
The complete Federer-Roddick final is now available to watch on the US Open YouTube channel. For a coming attraction, view the match highlights below.
