Andy Roddick: Why the American Won't Be Winning His Second US Open

Andy Roddick looked dominating in his opening-round win over 21-year-old American qualifier Rhyne Williams on Tuesday. Roddick came into play ranked 20th and showed flashes of brilliance, winning the last 16 points on his serve and ending it with a 127-mph ace. (He even reached a top speed of 141 mph.)

Expectations should certainly be tempered, though. This was the Grand Slam debut for Williams, who won three qualifying matches, only to learn he was pitted against Roddick, a man who has been the face of tennis in the United States for many years.

It couldn't have been easy for the young qualifier to go up against someone like Roddick, who, for all his bluster and charm, is the last American to win a Grand Slam singles title. (That happened way back in 2003 at this same US Open.)

Roddick made sure his young foe was over-matched from the start, and forced him to drop a break in each set. That looks good on paper, but anyone convinced this showing is a prelude to another Roddick title in Queens is a bit mistaken.

Roddick has definitely made strides to overcome injuries and inconsistencies over the years. His overall singles record and his 32 career titles make him a threat each time a tournament commences. His strong two-handed backhand can be debilitating for certain players, and he has shown over the years that he can compete with some of the best in the world.

However, he has never done so against the likes of Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic, two players who have beaten him in big matches in the past. Federer did, after all, defeat Roddick in the Wimbledon finals in 2004, 2005 and 2009. And Djokovic, most recently, made quick work of him in the second round of the London Olympic Games.

I just can't see Roddick holding his own against the top talent in this field. His 2012 has been somewhat mediocre. He has yet to win a tournament this year, and he fell in the third round of Wimbledon.

It was nice seeing that serve regain some of the fire that made him a dangerous player. And it's reassuring for fans of his that he made quick work of someone who had no business playing him in a major tournament.

But Roddick doesn't have the physical tools to compete with the Federers and Djokovics, and as a result, he will not be taking home his second Grand Slam title this week.