But it's not easy to overhaul a game based on certain techniques -- particularly at the highest levels. While Roddick's serve and forehand open up the court for him, his transition tools -- approach shots and volleys, as well as service returns -- are not as powerful.
Opponents often float back service returns, confident that Roddick will rarely serve and volley or effectively penetrate with his second shot. Serves to his backhand seldom are returned for winners.
Given Roddick's massive serve -- he won 91 percent of his service games last year, second on the tour -- he could well consider playing his return games as boldly as possibly.
The mindset would be to take big cuts at returns, drive balls hard and deep, follow a few into the net -- in short: more or less take the racket out of the server's hands in the pursuit of one break to win the set. This was the approach Pete Sampras often took, a tactic Jim Courier called "pure offense."
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