Watch Andy Roddick say goodbye in emotional retirement speech

By Houston Mitchell and Diane Pucin

Sept. 6, 2012 12 AM PT

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<p><a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/sports/tennis/andy-roddick-PESPT000008638.topic">Andy Roddick</a>, a sure Hall of Famer who won his only major title at the U.S. Open in 2003, announced last week that he would be retiring after this year's U.S. Open. And, after losing to  <runtime:topic id="PESPT0015057">Juan Martin del Potro</runtime:topic> on Wednesday, Roddick did indeed retire.</p><p>But first, he said goodbye to his fans in an emotional farewell on court after his loss.</p><p>"For the first time in my career, I'm not sure what to say," Roddick said. "Where do I start? Since I was a kid, I've been coming to this tournament. I felt lucky just to sit where all of you are sitting today, to watch this game and to see the champions who have come and gone and I've loved every minute of it.</p><p>"It has been a road with a lot of ups, a lot of downs and a lot of great moments. I've appreciated your support along the way. I know I certainly haven't made it easy for you at times, but I really do appreciate it and love you guys with all my heart. Hopefully I will come back to this place some day and I will see all of you again."</p>Cheered on by his parents, Blanche and Jerry; his wife, the model and actress <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/entertainment/brooklyn-decker-PECLB00011122.topic">Brooklyn Decker</a>;  his coach, Larry Stefanki; and nearly every person in the crowd that grew louder as the day became sunnier, Roddick finished out a career in which he had ranked somewhere in the top 20 since 2001, a consistency that he said made him proud. He also finished his tennis career with 32 career titles including the U.S. Open. He was runner-up in four other major tournaments, including three times at Wimbledon.<p>Even <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/human-interest/pippa-middleton-PECLB0000013298.topic">Pippa Middleton</a> -- sister of  <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/human-interest/imperial-royal-matters/catherine-duchess-of-cambridge-PECLB000000759.topic">Kate Middleton</a>, the duchess of Cambridge -- abandoned the quarterfinal between third-seeded Brit <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/sports/tennis/andy-murray-PESPT000009063.topic">Andy Murray</a> and 12th-seeded Croat <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/sports/tennis/marin-cilic-PESPT000009095.topic">Marin Cilic</a> that was being played at <a class="taxInlineTagLink" href="https://latimes.pages.dev/topic/entertainment/music/louis-armstrong-PECLB000226.topic">Louis Armstrong</a> Stadium. Middleton took a seat next to Roddick's mother midmatch and began cheering enthusiastically for the American.</p><p>Roddick had said he now plans to work hard on a tennis-education foundation in Austin, Texas, and also to tinker with his golf game.</p><p class="body"><strong>ALSO:</strong></p><p><a href="https://latimes.pages.dev/sports/baseball/mlb/angels/la-sp-0906-angels-athletics-20120906,0,6781096.story">Angels roll to 7-1 victory over Athletics</a></p><p><a href="https://latimes.pages.dev/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-us-open-tennis-roddick-retires-20120905,0,6312108.story">Andy Roddick loses at U.S. Open, retires</a></p><p><a href="https://latimes.pages.dev/sports/college/football/la-sp-0906-ucla-nebraska-20120906,0,2997284.story">UCLA set football program in motion with upset win over Nebraska in 1972</a></p>

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Houston Mitchell

Houston Mitchell is an assistant sports editor, writer of the Dodgers Dugout newsletter and editor of all of the sports newsletters for the Los Angeles Times.

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