It’s easy, for even the most rabid of tennis fans, to only pay attention to the top players.  Time and again, Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal show their ability to run deep in tournaments and, for the most part, staying healthy.  There was a brief time, in the early 2000s, when Andy Roddick was expected to be the next great American hope.  He was model handsome.  He had a big game.  Little did he know then that he, Hewitt, and Nalbandian, would be players in a holding pattern between the waning days of Sampras and Agassi, and the ascendance of Federer, then Nadal and Djokovic.

The pretty-boy designation must occasionally rankle for Roddick.  Much like Isner and Karlovic, Roddick has long been considered a big serve, and not much else.  It’s as if he wasn’t bright enough to be any better than he is.  Few understand the kind of work Roddick has had to put in to be in the top ten in an era that has produced such tremendous talent.  Maybe if Roddick had played in the 1990s, there would be a triumvirate of American: Sampras, Agassi, and Roddick.

For years, Roddick stayed in the top ten.  He took as much pride in that as any potential Slams.  When you’re playing in the era of Federer and Nadal, being in the top ten is something to hang your hat on.

However, with yearly injuries, Roddick’s grip in the top ten has slipped.  His ranking has slipped into the 30s.  Once the ranking American, he’s now the third American, behind Mardy Fish and John Isner.

Roddick has been known as a hard worker.  If Roddick’s not the most talented player, at least his work ethic has always been there.  However, the tradeoff has always been training well enough to rely on his strokes, but not so much that his body begins to break down.  Year after year, Roddick has had periods of time where he couldn’t play due to injuries or training to play on tour.  This year has been particularly bad.

Roddick has failed to reach a semifinal all year and has only reached two quarterfinals.  He’s had losses to Denis Istomin, Juan Monaco, and Go Soeda, players he would normally dominate.

Roddick lost to Roger-Vasselin in Queen’s in his opening match.  He entered the AEGON International at Eastbourne.  These grass court tournaments, played the week before Wimbledon, have weak fields.  Top ranked players like Federer and Nadal never play them.  Usually, the next tier players will play them, like David Ferrer, and some don’t even bother playing any grass court tuneups before Wimbledon.  While Roddick’s chances are worse than ever to win Wimbledon, at least Eastbourne would give him a chance to play weaker opponents.

Roddick opened up with an American player who’s been trying a recovery of his own, Sam Querrey.  Querrey had to retire in the opening round.  Roddick then beat two solid players in Jeremy Chardy and Fabio Fognini, both of whom might prefer other surfaces.  Roddick beat the Belgian Steve Darcis in the semis when Darcis retired in the second set.   Finally, he beat the resurgent Italian, Andreas Seppi, in the finals rather easily, 63, 62.

This continues a streak that Andy Roddick has had of winning at least one title a year since 2001.  It’s been more than a year since he last won a title, back in Memphis, when his game was much better off, and he beat a hot Milos Raonic in the finals with a diving passing shot, which was his only title of 2011.

More than likely, Roddick will be asked when he’ll retire.  And more than likely, he’ll say that as long as he can play, he’ll play.