Roddick's character unravels with his game

Andy Roddick came apart Monday night in a match against Phillip Kohlschreiber. The former world No.1 got upset with himself after double faulting. He then hit the ball into the stands; which is an automatic point deduction in tennis. Roddick went on to lose the match in straight sets. Tennis players throwing tantrums is nothing new. However, it's never good to excuse a certain behavior just because it happens a lot. Also worth noting is Roddick's argument to the official. Just have a look at the video for yourself (email subscribers click here).



Sometimes the explanation is worse than the offense. Roddick knows you can't hit a ball into the stands under any circumstances. He looks foolish trying to argue a moot point. Our kids need to understand this as well. Arguing with the official when you're clearly wrong makes you appear malicious. This is how people develop bad reputations in sports. Others will think you believe that the rules apply to everyone but you. No one is perfect in play or character.

Coaches always tell athletes to "shake it off" when they make a bad play. They don't want their athletes to dwell on a mistake which will probably lead to more mistakes. The same goes for sportsmanship mistakes. Accept the penalty for your actions and move on. Don't make the situation worse by pleading an unwinnable case. As far as Andy Roddick goes, he continued to defend his position in the post-match interview. That video is available on SportsmanshipTV. At some point he has to figure enough is enough. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol